Le Pew Tails
by bellechat
Summary: Is Penelope falling in love with someone? What is her backstory? What is Pepe's? Read on.
1. Chapter 1

Introduction of Le Pew Tails.

Note: This is a romance. Pepe/Penelope pairing. The characters wear clothes and have ages. (Why do they wear clothes compared to the cartoon(s), I don't know. That is how I pictured them for this story.) I find it hard to write sexuality, but I promise it will be intimate and romantic as possible. Just to be safe, I am rating it T. Please be free to review and please be honest. I will not be offended by any suggestions or such. Suggestions may improve my writing. Anyway, enough of me yakking away…

The story starts with Penelope Pussycat on the run to Orleans, France, her hometown. (No, she is not French. You'll have to read on to find out.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Pepe le Pew or Penelope Pussycat.

I own the characters: Leonardo, Bryony, Guiliane,Francine, Nanny Scarlett, her family and Tom Queens.

**Le Pew Tails**

By:

bellechat 

_**Chapter One. **_

_**Return to Orleans **_

The cold rain beat upon her whole body. She actually prayed the rain would wash away the darn stripe. Cars zoomed past her causing puddles to rise and spray her. She shivered and sniffed because she felt like she was coming down with a cold. A terrible, have-to-stay-in-bed cold.

"Only two more miles," she said between her chattering teeth. "Oh, it is so cold and wet. I hate it when it rains! Especially on a night when I afraid of being out alone. _He_ could be anywhere."

She eyed around her surroundings cautiously for _him_. The only problem was that she could hardly see in this rain.

"Almost there," she groaned, spotting a dim figure of a sign post.

She turned left and then right. She was in an alleyway leading to a train station not too far away. She took a sharp turn to what looked like a huge crate, but it was really her childhood home.

"Mam?" she called out as she reached under the welcome mat for the spare key. "Papa? Guiliane? Francine?" She finally found the spare key and let herself in.

A warm hallway welcomed her. The tile floor was spic and span as usual. Muslin curtains (which were always drawn) hung by the windows. The parlor was toasty with the fire in the fancily decorated fireplace and the dust-free mantelpiece. Five pieces of furniture were moved throughout the room. A huge white leather sofa and a smaller white leather sofa faced opposite of it. A white loveseat was next to the entrance of the parlor. A lovely red recliner chair sat near the small sofa and a big red velvet easy chair stood near the fireplace.

A black cat dressed in a business suit and house-robe sat in it, reading a newspaper.

"Papa?" she said softly.

The cat looked from the newspaper and almost dropped his smoking pipe.

"Why Penelope!" he said in surprise. "What are you doing here all wet and cold?"

"I will tell you later," Penelope said.

Penelope Pussycat was now glad to be home as her papa hugged her.

"Here, let me take this," he said, lifting a black duffle bag from Penelope's grasp.

"Now, let us get you dry and have something prepared to eat. How about fine salmon in a red wine sauce, with portabella mushrooms and cream spinach? Your favorite?"

"Please." Penelope said holding back a sneeze.

Penelope went down the hallway to the finest bathroom and dried herself with coarse towels. A knock on the door was soon heard.

"Penelope?" a voice said. "It is Francine; I have a nightdress, a bathrobe and slippers for you."

"Thank you, sister." Penelope answered. She opened the door a crack and was handed the articles of clothing. She put them on and sighed contently.

Once she was in the dining hall a fine dinner was set out for her. A tall glass of brandy was filled for her by her papa's orders to the chefs.

A cat who looked a little bit like Penelope, but had a white tip at the end of her tail sat with him. She was Francine; Penelope's older sister by eight years. She was eating a chocolate brandy pudding.

"Eat up," she said. "You do not want me to eat your brandy pudding."

Penelope sat opposite of her family and stuffed her face! She was so hungry from the long hike from Paris to Orleans.

"Now what happened?" Leonardo (Penelope's papa) asked.

"It is a very long story," Penelope said, cutting up the salmon into small bites. "I have been living in Paris since I was twenty and I have been stalked!"

"Oh, by who little sister?" said a female cat. A white and black cat with her tail half white as if some had dipped it came from the entrance. She held a martini glass full of a green drink.

"Guiliane," Leonardo said. "Penelope is hear from Paris and she is about to tell her story."

"Oh how dreadful for me to miss it," Guiliane said overdramatically. She sat next to Penelope and put her glass down.

"Well," Penelope started again. "I had been stalked by a…uh…gentleman named Pepe Le Pew. He chased me all over Paris. I first met him in the Cats Bah. I mean, Cas Bah."

"Casablanca," Leonardo corrected.

"I suppose," Penelope said with a sad sigh. "Anyway, I was there touring and he came out of nowhere and called me darling! I thought I saw the last of him when I left late that night on a cruise ship and sailed for Paris. I was wrong. A few months later, I met up with him again in a perfume shop where I fell out a window into a barrel of filthy rain water. I kept on crashing into him for the next few years and never thought of coming home. Yet, I feel like I should stay here for good now. I am afraid of him. I do not even want to get married now that I have seen how roughish men act around women."

"You will marry." A sharp voice that belonged to her mam said.

A white cat came in wearing a fine red dress and expensive jewelry.

"Hello Bryony Tzila," Leonardo said standing up with his daughters. It was a tradition to do this in the Pussycat household.

Bryony sat at head of the table and snapped her fingers, telling her husband she wanted a drink. Leonardo got up to make it.

"Penelope Peony Pussycat," she said to her youngest (and least favorite) daughter.

"You have got to stop turning down suitors that I have sent to you. You will end up alone and saaaadd."

"That goes the same for you as well, Guiliane Sabrina and Francine Tranquilla," she added to her favorite daughters.

"Yes dear Mam," the twin sisters both replied.

Leonardo returned with a drink for Bryony.

"Here you are Bryony Tzila," he said, handing it to her.

"Thank you, Leonardo Cadmus," she said.

The Pussycat family was entirely aristocratic-like. Bryony said everyone's first and second name as an address and her husband addressed only her that way as well. He never did that to his daughters.

The family was not European, but American. Leonardo and Bryony where from New Orleans, Louisiana. They thought life would be better in Europe so they decided to move there, only a week before Guiliane and Francine were born. Eight years later, Penelope came into the world without any twin like her sisters. Bryony had never wanted more than two children and left Penelope in the care of a nanny as soon as she was born.

Good old Nanny Scarlett had been off work because her son had become a proud father of triplets. Now that Bryony ordered her to take care of a "sickly baby" she had to let her son and daughter-in-law take control. However, Chanel (Nanny Scarlett's daughter-in-law) took the time to nurse Penelope along with her crying babies.

By the time Penelope was four she wanted to become friends with Nanny Scarlett's grandchildren; Chantal, Charisse and Cassius. Her mother did not approve of the two energetic girls and their rowdy brother at all. So Penelope, like her sisters, had no friends and was confined in a schoolroom at home.

Penelope hated how she lived at home and how she was raised. She was taught to be so judgmental and to not approve of "poverty" people. She had no social life and was always sent to bed very earlier so her parents could go out to dinner parties. They took Guiliane and Francine with them when she was only two and they were ten. Penelope never went to a party with her family out of the home. When the parties were out home she had to sit upright and watch the guests. How dull!

Mostly, Penelope never truly felt loved by her sisters or mother, but her father loved her dearly. He gave her nice clothes for her birthday and Christmas every year and would bring a stick a candy back from work every Friday.

Now, Penelope was facing what she hated; courting and arraigned marriages. She turned down all the suitors Bryony had presented to her and never wanted to see them again. They were just as Aristocratic as her family. She had liked Tom Queens for a while. He was a ginger colored cat. Yet, Penelope didn't want to marry him. He was too adventurous for her.

"Now, I have called Tom and he will come to see you tomorrow morning," Bryony said. "You will have a nice brunch together, take a stroll throughout our gardens and talk, and then of course, have a fancy dinner on us at _Le Château Beau_. You will enjoy it Penelope Peony."

"Yes, Mam," Penelope said.

"Figures she would force me to court while I am out here," she thought sadly.

Penelope sadly finished her dinner and went to bed, already dreading tomorrow.


	2. Lucky at cards, unlucky in love

Once again I do not own Pepe or Penelope.

I do own Penelope's family, Nanny Scarlett, Synclair Carrisforder, Tom Queens, Mrs., Queens and Montague Danforth.

_**Chapter Two.**_

_**Heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour **_

_**(Lucky at cards, unlucky in Love) **_

The glowing rays of the morning sun shined through the drawn curtains of Penelope's room. She opened her eyes and wished she could stay in bed longer. She was so tired. She did not even sleep that well. She had been dreading the meeting with Tom.

"Why can't my family be normal?" she thought sadly. "Why is Mam not like those good old housewives who bakes cookies for her children? Why can't Papa take control of the household for once like normal husbands? Something is seriously wrong if a wife dominates over her spouse. Why am I not close with Francine or Guiliane like most sisters? Why did I even come back here? I'd rather be being chased by that Pepe Le Pew now."

"Did I just say that?!" she said out loud.

With a sigh, Penelope got out of bed and went to her wardrobe. Her room was somewhat welcoming. The cold tile floor was well waxed, her bed had the finest silk sheets and warm comforters. The only window was next to her bed; a nice view of the garden could be seen through the curtains. Her wardrobe closet was made out maple wood that had been painted white. Her old three-story dollhouse she had received from Nanny Scarlett for her third birthday still stood by the door. A shelf of textbooks and glass figurines of Parisian landmarks stood with out a speck of dust. A small desk was polished and still had bits and pieces of paper on it from school days. Only her room had been her comfort zone as a child.

Whenever she felt alone she went in there and would lie on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She would wonder of into fantasy; dreaming of leaving home and having a place of her own. The milk cat, Monsieur Rene had a son (whom she had a crush on at ten) was who she wanted to marry back then. She planned on having five children with him: three girls and two boys. She wrote out lists of names for them and they were fancy names: Clarinda Henriette, Eustacia Hepzibah, Yessica Aurora, Raffaello Ferris and Francois Mosquiter.

The crush ended when she was eleven though, after she found out he did not like her.

Now she was meeting Tom Queens; a rich cat who came from a long line of fame. Fame of making special catnip. The same catnip was what Leonardo smoked. Penelope had no desire to see him at all.

She dressed in a simple skirt and blouse with flat dress shoes and went into the dinning hall. She was late for breakfast.

The whole family sat at their seats with their coffee hot tea, omelets, fruit salads and yogurt. Bryony looked most displeased.

"You are late Penelope Peony," she said narrowing her eyes at her. "Why are you dressed like that? You need to look more proper when Tom gets here. You will change after breakfast which is now half cold!"

"I am sorry Mam," Penelope said apologetically. She sat next to Guiliane and began eating.

While they were eating Bryony was reading a list of things to do that day.

"Now Francine Tranquilla," she said. "You will go to Lyon today and pick up a wedding dress for yourself so that you are prepared to court that Synclair Carrisforder. Now Guiliane Sabrina, you will stay home and work on your flute lessons like usual. Then at three o clock you will head out to the Academy for your ballroom dancing lessons with Montague Danforth. Leonardo Cadmus, you will meet me at _Le Château Beau_ for reservations for _your_ daughter and Tom."

Of course they had to obey and say yes. Penelope felt mad. Who the heck was her mother to run this household like it was a ship and her family was nothing, but her recruits?

Once breakfast was complete, Penelope went back to her room to change. She changed into a silky yellow dress that was below the knees with matching high heels. She put on a pearl necklace and pearl bracelet. She looked pretty, but she did not feel pretty at all.

She sat at a little table out on the patio waiting for Tom. She heard the front door open and voices.

The patio door opened and out came Tom. He wore a crisp lime green shirt, dress pants and dress shoes. He held a bouquet of dark red roses.

"Hello," he said charmingly.

"Tom," Penelope said, clearing her throat. "How are you?"

"I feel like I have achieved my goal of winning your heart," he said dramatically.

Penelope smiled, but was not pleased. He sat next to her and handed her the bouquet. She took them, but did not smell them. They were shriveled up.

"So were have you been this past year?" Tom asked casually.

"Nothing much," Penelope answered. She suddenly felt uncomfortable. Tom was not really looking into her eyes, but at something below the neck. Tom was eyeing her.

"I have been living around Paris and have been eating…" she stopped.

Tom was looking at her strangely. He suddenly took her hand and kissed it.

"I have never felt this way about anyone before," he said. "Penelope Pony Pussycat…"

"Excuse me for interrupting, but Peony is my middle name." Penelope corrected.

"Oh yes!" Tom said passionately. "Peony is another word for Pony. I was ssssoooo ditzy there by your lovely figure and eyes. I hope I am not being fast, but will you marry me?"

Penelope heard a squeal of delight come from the inside of the house from her mother and Mrs. Queens, Tom's mother.

She suddenly felt three things: One was anger and regret of coming home. The other was as if her life had flashed before her eyes. She saw herself married to Tom and she was unhappy with him. Third and last of all was a feeling as if she was at the edge of a cliff and crying in pain. No matter how loud she would cry no one would ever come to her for comfort.

She broke loose from Tom's grasp and stood up and said what had to be said.

"No."

A scream of rage came from the inside. Tom sunk to the floor in disbelief, but then reached out to her, pulled her down and tried to kiss her. As if that would really change her mind! The feeling of his hand running down her side made her feel sick.

She broke out and ran inside. She flew past her furious mother, a sobbing Mrs. Queens all the way to her room.

She needed to think everything out.

It all hit her hard. Tom was rich and her mother was just setting this up to get richer. Did she not care about her daughter's happiness?

"She does not care," Penelope said to herself. "I am not her favorite. I have known that my whole life. If she did not care for me she would just let me be alone. That shameful old coot!!"

Penelope crawled back into bed and dozed off. She knew what to do now; escape her family (even her Papa) and Orleans for good.

Note: I sorry if some of the names in here are hard to read. I want them to sound aristocrat-like and fancy. Oh yeah, I looked up the names and found out what Francine, Guiliane and Bryony mean. Francine and Guiliane are names from France! Ironic. Francine means free and Guiliane means hostage. Bryony means poisonous climbing vine. P.S. if you are having a hard time pronouncing Guiliane it is pronounced like this: Joo-il-lee-an.


	3. The Road to Paris

Note: Brace yourself! Romance is coming soon!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pepe or Penelope.

_**Chapter Three**_

_**On the Road to Paris **_

It was late at night. A full moon shone out over the France night sky. Penelope lost no time. She had been waiting for three hours waiting for everyone to be sound asleep. She knew it was 1:00 in the morning.

She jumped out of bed and pulled her duffle bag out from under her bed. She packed only what she needed; a two pairs of pants, three shirts, a jacket and plenty of undergarments.

"I need something warm for tonight, it might be chilly," she thought.

She changed from the dress into jeans, her favorite shirt (a forest green shirt.) A black denim jacket and black boots.

"Not the high heels," she thought. "Those would make to much noise."

She almost packed a toothbrush and tube of toothpaste, when she heard Guiliane's bedroom door open.

"No time for clean teeth," Penelope thought frantically.

She heard Guiliane walk toward the kitchen and come back out with some kind of martini. Then she went back to bed.

Finally, Penelope slipped out of her room. Tiptoed down the hall to the front door; only to find it locked.

"Fabulous!" Penelope mumbled angrily. "Figures Mam has the door locked."

She went back to her room to pace. Then she had an idea.

_The_ _window_.

For the first time in the Penelope household the curtains were drawn back! Penelope lifted up the window and slipped out into the garden.

"Thanks goodness this is not a two-story house," she thought.

She ran to the garden gate and unlatched it. She tiptoed out and closed it. For two long minutes she tiptoed until she could not longer bear it.

Once she was far enough, she ran! She ran like never before. She feared she would here her mother's voice ring out screaming her name in rage!

"She will…" Penelope said. "After I am hundreds of miles away."

Penelope did not know how long she ran, but it was a long time. She ran until the first rays of the sun shone.

"I better hide somewhere," she said. "Mam will be waking at this time and she will see I am gone by breakfast!"

She looked around her. She was between two penthouses that were ten miles from her home. She hid among the shrubs in front of the houses.

"Well, this is better than nothing," she thought. "I need to find a place to live. There was a cute apartment complex near the Norte Dame Cathedral, maybe I will look there. All I know is that I will never marry after my horrifying experiences. Maybe I should practice celibacy. I have never felt a romantic love. (That crush back then was puppy love.) What's the point? I will never love a gentleman. I need someone who understands my needs; what I want and when I want it. I want a passionate, yet sweet romance. One where I feel trembles and shivers of pleasure. A variety of moments (and kisses.) One were …I want to be with somebody all the time and never leave them. That somebody should be willing to stay with me all the time, no matter what. Where will I find that? Who will I find that in?"

She thought of that for an hour and feeling that it was safe, left her hiding place.

"Let's see," she said aloud cheerfully. "It took me two weeks to walk from Paris to Orleans. So it will take me two weeks to get back. I left on the 21st of December. Some way to spend Christmas; walking in the cold. I got to my old home in Orleans on January 4th. Today is the 6th. So it will be the 20th when I get back. Good plan."

She pressed on her journey, only stopping to get something to eat or rest. She ate what she found in the garbage cans and rested among gutters and plants.

At last it was the 20th and it was actually a nice day. The temperature was cold, but it was sunny out. Penelope knew everything would be alright now. She had survived. She found a scrap of paper that showed homes for rent. She forgot about how hungry she was and studied it the best she could; picking and choosing what seemed best for her.

She also wondered about adoption.

"That would take a lot of paperwork," she said. But she did want to have a child, it was just the giving birth scene that scared her. She saw films about as a teen and it scared her greatly. She forgot about having five children.

Penelope was so busy reading, she did not notice the season go from sunny to cloudy, almost foggy. She went off course to a complex she was reading about and went into an alley. She suddenly tripped onto something and fell forward and then rolled to her side.

"Watch eet Mademoiselle," said a voice.

Penelope stood up and picked up duffle bag to her shoulder. She suddenly froze. She knew that voice from anywhere. A thick French accent. A strong stench garlic and something burnt twitched her nose. It was none other but Pepe Le Pew!

He was sitting on the ground with his knees drawn up to his chest. An unlit cigarette was between his two fingers. His face was filthy, covered with what looked like coal smudges. He wore a dark red shirt and black leather jacket, dirty jeans and black beaten up Chuck Taylor All-Stars sneakers. A black flat cap was perched on his head hiding his white/black snaggy bangs. He looked miserable, but then surprised to see Penelope.

"What are you doing here?" he asked getting out a lighter from his back pocket.

"Looking for a place to live," Penelope said. She wanted to runaway in fear of his romancing ways, but she couldn't. She felt no need to be afraid. She actually felt sorry for Pepe at this moment.

He looked to tired anyway to go on a wild goose chase.

"Well ,stop ze search for homes," he said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Zhere are none being sold," he answered.

"What do you mean? I have an article here about homes for rent."

Pepe stood up and took the article out of her hands and read it.

"Zhis sale advertisement was printed out a week ago. They were all sold at once."

"Oh, great!" Penelope said disgustedly. "Just great! I need a place to stay and there is nothing being sold or advertised. I walk from Orleans all the way here and this is what I find."

"Perdon?" Pepe asked puzzled.

"Oh, sorry." she said. "I have caused enough trouble; I will just lodge among the gutters…again."

"Do you need…help?" he asked.

"No, no thank you." she said replied. "Uh, actually, could I, well…I…need to stay somewhere…c-could I spend the night at…y-y-your place? I know no one else here."

"Uh… but of course." Pepe said. He seemed really surprised and uneasy of why should would stay with him after she had run from him for a long time.

"It's only for tonight," Penelope said. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"Sure," he said.

Fore a while they both stood still not looking at each other. It got to awkward until Pepe spoke up:

"Come on, I live a few blocks from here."

He started leading the way as Penelope followed.


	4. A Small Silver Lining

Disclaimer: I do not own Pepe or Penelope

Warning: About to get romantic.

_**Chapter Four**_

_**A Small Silver Lining**_

Penelope was worn out by the time they reached Pepe's home. It was built next to a complex. No one ever knew a skunk lived in a small house that looked like a part of the building that was added on randomly.

It was white like the building and had two windows on the front. It actually looked very nice. Small, but just right for one to live in.

Inside was even better. The room she walked into was the living room and near in was a small kitchen. No walls separated the two. A small hallway led to a bathroom and an empty room. Two bedroom doors were next to the kitchen and they were open. Near the two bedrooms doors was another door which Penelope guessed was a closet.

There was by the window a small green couch (not made of leather), a coffee table, and a T.V. The kitchen had an iron stove and oven, a fridge and a breakfast bar instead of a table. Three barstools stood at it and the countertop was a smooth gray granite.

"Oh, what a nice home you have," Penelope said in surprise.

"What, you expected eet to be messy?" Pepe asked. "I am a neat freak. Just ask my father."

"Well, I thought bachelors were not very tidy, no offense." she said.

"No problem," he said, shutting the door.

He took off his cap and ran his fingers through his bangs. They were greasy and had not been washed in a while. Penelope could tell; she could smell the grease.

"Where should I sleep?" she asked.

"My room," Pepe said. "I'll sleep out here on ze couch."

Penelope was relieved to here that.

"Could I put my stuff away?" she asked.

"Oui," he answered.

She went to his room and looked around. It was a good size. A bed in the middle with dark green covers. A wardrobe closet made out of real nice mahogany wood stoof near the only window, but the blinds were up.

"No curtains," she said thoughtfully.

She put the duffle bag on the bed and felt the covers. So soft and they actually smelled good; like rain. Not like bleach back at home. A small bathroom at the right looked welcoming.

It was so clean! No clothes on the floor. No bottles of shampoo spilled. It was like a bunch of maids cleaned it in four minutes.

She walked out to the bedroom and unpacked her things. She put them under one of the pillows. She stood back against a wall and looked at the pillow she hid it under. The pillow on her right looked most comfy.

Tired, she flopped on the bed and went straight to sleep. She awoke an hour later hearing the television playing _Casablanca_.

Now she was awake. She crept to the door to see Pepe lying on the couch with his head on the arm rest.

She felt it was a good time to take a shower. She had not had one since her escape.

She went into the bathroom and ran the water. She felt nervous about bathing in a gentleman's house, especially if it was one who had chased her.

She did not care though, she felt gross, and itchy and wanted to be clean.

While she was showering she wondered why Pepe kept a tidy house.

"Perhaps his mother come over and does it for him, like Grannie did for Pap before he married." She thought.

Once she was clean she dried off with soft towels and wrapped one around her. She went to the pillow that hid her clothes and darn it!

"I forgot to pack pajamas," she said. "Oh, well I will substitute."

She wore clean jeans and her favorite shirt. It was a forest green with the _fleur de lis_ symbol in black on it.

She brushed her teeth and went back to bed, but she couldn't sleep. She wondered about Pepe; why did he have smudges on his face? Why was he not clean? Does he have a smoking problem?

She wanted to know, but she did not know why.

She dozed off and went into dreams of living in Paris. In her own house, a lovely view of France and being on a rooftop late at night.

Penelope woke up to the sound of a clang and a brief cuss word from Pepe in French.

"OHH! Stooped pots and pans!" he grumbled.

Penelope jumped out of bed and went to the kitchen. Pepe was putting clean dishes into a cupboard.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Oui, yes." He said breathless. "Just cleaning up after I ate. Oh your plate's right there." He pointed to a plate with warm rolls of cinnamon.

"Thanks," she said. They were actually tasty and had the right amount of sweetness.

"May I ask you something?" she said.

"Shoot." Pepe said and leaned against the sink.

"Why were you covered in smudges?" she asked.

"Eet's my job to separate coal from normal rocks in Coal and Wood Co. They use the coal and wood for fuel for their old fashioned machines. Either you work in the coal room or the wood room. I had no choice. The coal room is really hot so you sweat a lot. You can't help but wipe your face from ze sweat and get coal on your face from your hands. You peek out ze coal with your unsanitized hands."

"Ick!" Penelope said. "Do you like it?"

"Do cats bark?"

"No."

"Zhen no! I hate eet! But what can I do? I looked too long for a good job when I left home and nothing worked. I would like to be a news writer."

"Are you good at writing?"

"Yes. I could write before I could even talk!"

"Shut up!"

"No really! I could write mama, pa, and my name."

"Better than I could do. Mam made me learn to write when I was seven."

"Why at seven?"

"That is just how she thinks."

"Why do you talk like zat?"

"Like what?"

"All long. You say '_could not'_ instead of '_could'nt_', '_must have_' instead '_must've_'. You '_haven't_' said '_ain't_' yet.

"No, I do not!"

"Yes, you do."

"No, I do not!"

"Yes, you do."

"No, I do not!"

"Yes, you do."

"No, I do not!"

"No, you don't!"

"Yes, I do."

No, you don't"

"Yes, I do."

Penelope went shocked and dumbfounded. Pepe just smiled slyly at her.

"O.K. I do," she admitted. "It's not my fault though, Mam made me talk that way."

"You've got a lot to learn," he said.

"Maybe I do," Penelope said smiling back at him. A real smile of becoming just friends.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Pepe or Penelope.

I do own the characters: Stacey Fair, Cameo Xavier, Shanica Pace, Zoey Frasier and Joy Hathaway.

_**Chapter Five**_

_**In the Life and writings of a Thirteen Year Old Boy**_

Later that evening the Paris lights began to glow. Penelope and Pepe had stayed a distance away from each other that day and were quiet at supper. By now, Pepe was sitting on the couch reading in something. Penelope did not know what it was, but she was very curious.

She finally got the chance to read it when Pepe fell asleep from reading it (and watching a boring soap opera.) Penelope crept silently behind him and gently lifted out what she suspected was a dirty magazine. Instead it was a navy blue leather journal.

"Should I or shouldn't I?" she thought.

She glanced at Pepe. He was deep in sleep. Maybe this was good chance.

As if she was a thief, she hurried to his room and shut the two-bedroom doors.

She sat in the middle of the bed and trembling, opened it.

It was not written in common language! It was written in a code.

"There must be some kind of cheat sheet to crack this," she said. Sure enough, there was.

Lightly written in pencil was the code. It looked like this:

A -

B-..

C- ,,,

D- //

E- \\

F-

G- #

H-

I-

J-

K-

L- ((

M- )))

N-

O-

P-

Q- :;

R- ;:

S- ::

T- ;;

U-

V-

W-

X-

Y- [[

Z - \/

Penelope caught on fast and read the first page. All that was written for a date was January 7th . This is how it started.

_January 7__th_

_Some way to spend your thirteenth birthday! Finding out your getting braces! I got them on today! They look horrible. I hate them! I hate how they feel too: metal against my lips and tongue. Au revoir, first kiss! Au revoir, sticky caramel sweets! Au revoir, sugary gum packs! Au revoir! Parting is such a bittersweet sorrow! _

Penelope was confused and kept on reading. Another entry in April (Avril) interested her.

Avril 22nd

_That Stacey Fair is such a pain in the tail and arse. (Excuse the language.) She and I have that stupid combined P.E. class at second hour and we had to play volleyball. She kept on pretending to serve it only to get a chance of hitting me on the head. Finally, I threw it at her back and she fell flat on her face. Detention welcomed me five minutes later. _

_At break between third and fourth. Shanica Pace insulted Mom with a rude comment. When someone insults my family they insult me!! So I walked up to her, drunk someone of my seltzer water and spat it in her face. Principal Lars caught me. He sure ain't my PrinciPAL. Detention again. Detention is twenty minutes long, but it seems infinity to me. _

_At lunch Zoey Frasier, tripped me and I later tripped her. (On purpose.) Detention again. _

_At fifth hour, Cameo Xavier tattled on me saying I had been chewing gum. How can I chew gum with these stupid braces!!! Detention welcomed me back. _

_At last hour (eighth,) I was sitting next to Joy Hathaway. She and I have a boring science project about frog brains. I was reading from the textbook about brains and she muttered "boys don't have brains." Then I says "We sure do. You ain't have one, you freaky girls." Then she says "At least I don't stare at lovely ladies and drool." Then I says "At least I don't stare at Nate Robin's pecs, and deltoids." Then we got in a fight. Our teacher Miss Camille ordered Me to stop and told Joy to ignore me. _

_Joy looked tired and frustrated by our fight. She actually looked really offended of what I said. When class was let out, she laid her head on her desk miserably. Maybe if she had had a better conduct to me, I would have not said anything bad. I do feel sorry for her, she is a fair girl. By fair, I mean pretty. _

Penelope was touched by that last part and finally understood what was happening. This journal was written when Pepe was thirteen.

"This is getting good," she said and kept on reading.

It went on about crushed he had (in fact the five girls who bugged him, he secretly liked, epically Joy.) Having braces and suffering from a major French Kiss with a girl named Tanzia Garber. Their braces locked them together for three hours! All kinds of stuff Penelope never thought could go on in a boy's mind.

"Now, I know more about him," Penelope said. "I actually feel bad he had braces until he was eighteen."


	6. To a Valient Heart Nothing is Impossible

Disclaimer: I don't own Pepe or Penelope

I own Louis, Stacey Fair, Cameo Xavier, Shanica Pace, Zoey Frasier and Joy Hathaway.

Chapter Six

To a Valiant Heart Nothing is Impossible

Penelope read the journal entries all through the night. She actually liked how Pepe wrote everything (even if his handwriting was in code and a little messy.) She kept on reading.

May 8th

_Well, the middle high class is having our middle high "prom." Louis and I are not happy about it. We never get date just because we are skunks. Just because Stacey is a ferret, Cameo and Shanica are foxes and Zoey is a raccoon does not make us completely different. I can't really picture myself falling in love with a different species, but I think I have with them. If only they were nicer. Joy is actually not that bad and she is a skunk. _

_She is so pretty too. She has slanted blue eyes and long black hair usually tied back in a ponytail. She wears light blue clothes most of the time with light pink shades. She is so pretty, I just can't ask her to anything because she bugs me half of the time. _

_Louis and I have been offered $15 just to play music at the dance. I guess we will be busy so we won't need dates. Skunkin sweet girl!! _

_Mom says that "A coeur vaillanr rein d'impossible." Meaning "Nothing is impossible for a willing heart." I guess that's true. But it hasn't happened to me yet. I don't understand. _

_Fencing is my sport!! We did it in P.E. and for once Stacey was beaten!! By me!! I'm a pro! She ain't French, that's her problem. She's from Denmark. _

_May 20__th_

_The dance went well tonight. For some strange reason Joy kept on staring at me. Louis and I took a wild twist on the songs we were supposed to perform and did what we have written this past year. We really rock!! I better write down our lyrics in __hear __here. _

_I can't help, but wonder if Joy now likes me. _

_Mom and Dad were proud of us wit hour music. They said being a loud racket upstairs with us practicing Louis' Telecaster and my Stratocaster has been worth it. _

_May 22__nd_

_Joy is still acting weird like she did on Saturday night. She waved flirtatious at me twice today and it's freaking me out. _

_May 23__rd_

_Joy almost hugged me today. We got an A on that stupid frog project and she hugged me. She said I was really sweet and awesome. What does that mean? To her at least. Is that how girls say "good job?" Who knows? _

_I'd like to ask Mom or Dad about this type of situation about crushes, but I really don't think they can understand it from my POV (point of view.) Why it is that parents say they were teenagers once, but they still don't understand us?! _

_May 24__th_

_Here's one of our lyrics _

_That's How We Are _

_We act weird_

_And talk weird_

_We have tails_

_That reek_

_The laundry ain't clean for week _

_We are pretty different_

_We know_

_Just like a circus show_

_But we always go far_

_Well, call us the family Freak _

_That's how we are_

_Mom loves chocolate_

_Dad hates chocolate_

_We share rooms_

_All year round_

_Some say were from the pound_

_We are pretty different_

_We know_

_Just like a circus show_

_But we always go far_

_Well, call us the family Freak _

_That's how we are_

_We live by the water_

_Yet we don't swim_

_We stare at the stars_

_All night long_

_Why we are like this _

_We don't know_

_Don't ask why _

_Just accept us FYI_

_We are pretty different_

_We know_

_Just like a circus show_

_But we always go far_

_Well, call us the family Freak _

_That's how we are_

_Well, that's just one of them. My favorite because I came up with it and wrote it. _

_May 25__th_

_Tomorrow's the last day of school! I'm excited!_

_May 26__th_

_Joy almost kissed me today!!_

_I don't like her anymore now that she made the first move of romance towards me. That's the guy's job. _

_I was cleaning out my locker (which looked like a tornado blew in there) when she came by all smiling like. She twirled her hair and leaned towards me until I asked her what did she want now. She suddenly leaned to my mouth and almost got me. I dodged away, but she was tricky. She practically chased me through out the hallway. Thank goodness she bumped into the trash can and fell down. She was okay she smiled at me and said she would get me. Someday. GULP! HELP! _


	7. A Kiss Amiss

Disclaimer: I don't own Pepe or Penelope.

I own Tanzia Garber.

This is shorter than usual.

_**Chapter Seven **_

_**A Kiss Amiss **_

July 9th

_Okay, so I've always wanted my first kiss to be special. Well, how special? I never thought of it until now. _

_Tanzia Garber is a girl from school I've ignored for a while. She is gothic like with braces as bad as mine!! I met her in the alleyway that's two miles from our house this evening. I had errands to run. _

_I saw her there and she saw me and asked what was happening. I said nothing much. _

_We went on talking about school and how she found out about Joy chasing me. _

"_Did you like her?" she asks._

"_Yeah, but not anymore." I answers. _

"_Are there any girls you like?" she asks. _

_Now I was growing uncomfterable. She was asking these questions about liking and not likening. I wondered where it would lead to. _

_She finally said there was a boy at school she had liked for a while. _

"_Who?" I asks. _

"_You." She says. _

_WHAT??!! ME??!! AM I DREAMING OR SOMETHING??!! WAS I HALLUCINATING??! _

_(Okay enough of the __**bold**__ print.) _

_I seriously am still shocked. Then again we kinda have the same things in common. We both love Rock 'n' Roll. But she has cash to buy the tapes and CDs. I don't, I just write and play my own. _

_She said I was funny, upbeat, punk, cool, emotional and attractive. I did not care about what she said until she said attractive. _

_I finally studied her. She was punk, kinda cool and emotional. I don't know about attractive unless boys dig for the dark red hair and black lips. Is that lipstick or juice from blackberries? _

_Again, Who knows? _

_Only God knows. (Now I have Beach Boys in my head now.)_

_She and I got close. I said I found her punk like me. We got really close. Like nose to nose close. I felt nervous. I knew what was coming. _

"_Shouldn't I or should I?" I wondered. _

_Our lips brushed. Then suddenly as if they were magnets, we kissed. It was awkweird! (Weird and awkward combined.) I shut my eyes and took it all in. She has very soft lips. _

_Then it got crazy, she kissed me again and stuck her tongue in my mouth. Then I did the same! I won't describe it, but it was awesome. The problem was I had a hard time breathing. Maybe it was because I was excited and overjoyed. My first kiss had happened and I was only thirteen. _

_Then our braces locked. We were stuck!! Very em-bracing. (Stupid dentist joke.)_

_We both walked, (sideways) to the orthodontist. We were a hoot. Everyone there cracked up so hard, I'm surprised know one passed out. _

_We got unlocked after three hours. Now here I am, at twelve in the night writing this. That happened five hours ago. _

_I really don't like Tanzia anymore because of that kiss. It didn't feel right. I feel like I lost something precious thanks of my mouth hormones. (If there is such a thing as mouth hormones.) I'm weird. I guess the best kiss will come from my wife. Whoever and wherever she is. _


	8. When you fall in love, you fall in love

Disclaimer: I do not own, Pepe or Penelope.

_**Chapter Eight.**_

_**When you fall in love, you fall in love forvever. **_

By morning Penelope was dozing off from reading all night. She had been deeply moved by what Pepe had wrote about his first kiss. She needed to think it out.

She got up and went into the kitchen finding, Pepe searching for something throughout the cabinets.

"Did you loose something?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said breathless. "I've gotta get to the Co. I'll look for eet later. Make yourself at home."

"What time will you be back?" she asked.

"Five and a half hours," he said and hurried for the door.

"Au revoir,"

Penelope waved good-bye.

"Oh no," she groaned. "He's looking for his journal. I just need to think over that one part."

She went back to his room and took the journal to the bathroom, so no one would suspect her.

Penelope sat in the shower and re-read that part;

_I really don't like Tanzia anymore because of that kiss. It didn't feel right. __I feel like I lost something precious thanks of my mouth hormones__. (If there is such a thing as mouth hormones.) I'm weird. I guess the best kiss will come from my wife. Whoever and wherever she is. _

"Well, it's not like you gave up your virginity," she said aloud as if she was talking to him. "Did you really feel that bad? Did it really not feel right? How could you tell? I haven't had my first kiss yet. You were only thirteen! I'm almost twenty-five."

"Maybe…" she said to herself. "He wanted his first kiss to be from the girl he would marry and live with forever. Did he want it sacred and dear for both of them?"

"Oh Pepe, I do feel sorry you felt like that. It must've hung over you for years. Through high-school, to today maybe."

Penelope felt different after she read the journal. Everything he had wrote; emotions of hate, frustration, love, and loneliness. Times he wanted to throw the towel with tough homework. Dealing with his parents. All that made him seem different from the Pepe she had always hated and tried to avoid. He seemed miserable as a teen, and misunderstood about relationships.

A small photograph fell from the back. Penelope had not noticed it at all. It was a color picture of a young boy skunk with his arms crossed and smiling; showing rows of huge metal braces. He wore a grey jersey with elbow-length sleeves that were orange. He had a black belt with chains running down the sides and filthy dark blue jeans. He had brand new looking Chuck Taylor All-Star sneakers. On his wrists almost camouflaging with his skin was thick, black, leather bracelets and a matching choker necklace. He looked familiar.

It was thirteen year old Pepe. He was posing in front of a railway track in the country.

Penelope smiled. Those shoes were the same ones he wore nowadays. He was not kidding about those braces. They looked like a huge pain that was enough to lock you with some else's.

Penelope tucked the photograph back in its place and hit it among the couch cushions. She decided to tell him later about her sneak peek into his life.

Well, it was quiet for the rest of the week until January 27th.

Penelope and Pepe were sitting a good few inches away from each other on the couch, hearing about a dull report about pouring rain for the next three days. By the 30th it would be over. Pepe was reading his journal and Penelope was keeping her mouth shut.

"It's mocking me," she thought eyeing the journal. "It knows I was reading it."

Pepe sighed and looked at her. Penelope felt warm seeing those eyes looking at her at that moment.

"I know nothing about you," he said.

"I know nothing about you," she said a little too quickly.

"You know about my profession and what I want to be," he said. "I don't know what you do for a living,"

"I don't really have a job," she said. "I used to want a family with the Milk Cat's son. But he didn't like me. I wanted five kids, what was I thinking? Three girls and two boys. Now I don't know if I even want any. All I know is that I don't want to be like my family. They're awful. Mam tried to force me into marriage."

"For sentimental reasons?" Pepe asked.

"No, to get more rich," Penelope said. "She cared nothing for my happiness. She never loved me. My sisters never loved. Only my Papa cared about me and showed affection."

Pepe looked sorry.

"Well, I never thought zat my parents didn't love me. They had enough love to go around."

"No, it wasn't that, it was that Mam didn't want more than two. My sisters were twins."

"Ohh, twins."

"She seemed, no, she acted like I was some mistake in her. But is it my fault I was conceived? No, it was her fault of having too much champagne and wine at a dinner party. She was dumb. Does champagne really do that? Make you go stupid? Have hangover things?"

"Yeah, I should know," Pepe answered. "I had champagne once when I was six at a Christmas dinner. The waitress thought she had given the kids apple cider, but the bottle was not labeled. So I got drunk and practically dunked my head in a chocolate fondue fountain. Mom was furious."

"It wasn't your fault was it?" Penelope asked.

"She was furious at the waitress, not me." he said. "But zat chocolate was good. Extra sweet. After I got over my hangover, I went into sugar coma."

Penelope smiled.

"It sounds like your mom cares for you a lot," she said.

"She does," he said.

"I can't really picture myself being a mother now," Penelope said.

"Ditto," Pepe agreed. "I can't see myself being a good dad at all. Eet seems so hard. Girls and boys are mostly attached to zhere mom more than zhere dads. I read it in a poll."

"I think if you had a daughter, that would be different," she said randomly.

"She would be your little girl. She would be a Daddy's Little Princess. I was kinda like that with my Papa. He didn't play favorites, among us."

"Neither did mine," Pepe said.

He gently touched her shoulder; "I bet my parents would've loved you like you were their own. Mom's not ze type who forces things upon you. Including marriage. She and Dad always trusted me."

He drew his knees up to his chest and looked out deep in thought of memories.

Penelope stared at him and felt something strange grow in her. Pepe just said his family would've accepted her like she was their daughter.

She suddenly noticed his black eyes looking cheerful, yet relaxed with life. His personality of being her friend and his dream of writing. The writings in his journal said everything about him. He reeked awful, but he was attractively handsome. He was thin, but strong at heart. His fingers had a gentle touch to them. All this of noticing welled up in Penelope.

She felt something like butterflies the size of elephants in her stomach. A chill run down her neck and hot in the face. She felt like she could hardly breathe.

"I'm going to bed," she said quickly.

"Bonne nuit. Good night." he said.

Penelope didn't really go to bed, she lay there trembling. She felt afraid, yet excited. She kept on seeing Pepeand it caused her to breathe trembling. She felt her forehead to see if she had a fever.

She felt a desire to be near him. Close to him.

"What am I going through?" she whispered to herself. "I wish I knew. I can't stop thinking about him."

P.S. Anyone who reads this who is also on devianart and would like to do fanart on this story, you have my permission. Just please, keep it clean and okay for viewers to see.


	9. Two Souls, One Heart

Disclaimer: I do not own Pepe or Penelope.

I own Marie and Pepe's mom.

_**Chapter Nine**_

_**Two souls, One Heart **_

"Oh, my head." Penelope moaned. "I have a headache."

She had not been sleeping very long. It was four in the morning. The Parisian lights were still shining outside, but she was too tired to enjoy them.

"I'll make myself some warm milk," she thought. "That would put anyone to sleep."

She got out of bed and crept into the kitchen, she could dimly see Pepe asleep on the couch. He had one arm thrown over the armrest making it look dramatic.

"I think I should leave," Penelope thought as she smiled blissfully at him. "Leave tomorrow and find myself a new home. He's been sleeping on the couch to long."

Penelope started thinking about leaving. She surprisingly did not want to leave. Why?

She suddenly thought about how Pepe looked when she felt all funny. Her heart pounded in her chest rapidly.

"I'M NOT IN LOVE," she thought to herself. "He's just…sleeping like that. Actually, he's really handsome."

She forgot about the milk and absent-mindedly went to bed.

Penelope awoke to hearing Pepe's voice. Her heart seemed to leap into her throat at his voice.

"I told you not to," he said. "Mom…I know…I know…I know…alright.

"He's on the phone," Penelope said to herself. She sat up and listened.

"Okay," Pepe continued. "What? What does she…Fine, put her on zhe line."

There was a pause and Penelope crept toward the door.

"Hi Sweetie," Pepe said.

Penelope felt happy to hear that. Until she saw he was still on the phone. She kept on listening.

"I told Mom I will be back home to visit in four weeks… March 1st, oui… You know your times tables by now… No 6 x 7 eez not 35. Eet's 42. What eez 4 x 7?... Close, not 26, eet's 27… Yes, I got eet. ..I love eet. I love whatever you make… I'll scrapbook eet. No? Why?... Very funny. Alright, I love you too. Bye Marie."

"Marie?!" Penelope thought in shock.

"Pepe was that your girlfriend?" she asked timidly.

"Girlfriend?!" he said in surprise. "Noo. I don't have a girlfriend. I never really have. I almost deed with zis one girl in junior high."

"I know," Penelope said. "I mean…how do you say it? I _understand_. So you never went a high school dance?"

"No. I just never had a date. I would take my Stratocaster and do the background music, which is pretty fun."

"I can believe that. I've been thinking about looking for a rental home today. I'll be out of your hair."

"I don't really want to go. You've been great company."

"I don't really want to leave either, but I have to sometime,"

Can I go with you?"

"I would like that,"

After a few hours of searching, Penelope was getting annoyed. There was some flaw wherever she went. One apartment had a termite problem that no cared about. Three complexes had cranky neighbors. Nothing was working.

She and Pepe searched one more time at a duplex house near the Eiffel Tower, but there was no luck.

"Pathetic," Penelope said. "Nothing was good enough. Terrible day."

The sun faded out and she was amazed at how long they had searched.

Everywhere lights shined. On trees and buildings. Everything was so beautiful.

"You must love living in Paris," she said to Pepe. "The night is more beautiful than I thought it would be."

"Eet looks better up ze Eiffel Tower." He said.

"It does?" she asked.

"Come on," he said.

He started running towards it. Penelope frowned and tried to catch up.

"Wait up," she called.

"You can run faster zhan that!" he hollered over his shoulder.

Penelope was stunned at that and laughed. She ran after him.

Once they got there Pepe ran up the stairs. Penelope stopped short.

"What about the elevator?" she asked.

"Too slow," he said.

Penelope followed. The next thing she knew was she was looking out over Paris. Lights seemed to form an ocean of lights.

She sighed in awe. It was gorgeous in a view.

She leaned on the railing and stared out.

Pepe leaned on the railing too and looked at her.

"What do you think?" he said.

"Better than on the ground," she said. "Thanks."

"For what? I just brought you up here."

"For letting me stay with you. I must've been an extra load."

"You could never be an extra load for me,"

Penelope turned her eyes to him and saw him smile at her. She smiled back and blinked twice.

She wished they could stay up above the city forever. Nothing but the lights stretching out far and wide. She felt like never leaving Pepe, but that funny feeling from last night returned. It returned to pester her.

Now it pointed out his voice and appearance. He now looked suave. His cap tilted downwards and his leather jacket softly reflecting the light.

Penelope looked down at herself. She felt plain most of the time, but now she felt beautiful and attractive. Attractive enough to get his attention.


	10. To Deal with Thieves

Disclaimer: I don't own Pepe or Penelope

I own Bratty and Sweathead.

_**Chapter Ten**_

_**To Deal With Thieves **_

After a long hour of just staring out into the distance Penelope shook herself. She felt happy and content. All of Paris seemed to say "home."

"Well, let's head back," Pepe said.

Penelope didn't want to go, but she felt a bit tired. They both left, wishing they could stay longer. They took a way over the Seine River.

Once they got there Pepe suddenly climb on the railing of the bridge and walked on it gracefully.

Are you crazy?" Penelope cried.

I've done zhis many times," he said confidently.

Pull me up," Penelope ordered, extending her hand to him.

"You sure?" he asked. Penelope nodded.

Pepe grasped her hand and pulled her up. Being a feline she balanced very well. She had something else on her mind though.

"I dare you to jump off," she said.

"You jump off," Pepe said.

"I dared you first,"

"The darer should go first."

"Meet you down," She jumped off without taking a breath.

Cold water enclosed over her head. She broke through and smiled triumphantly. Pepe stared in amazement of what she did. He started to jump in too when something horrible happened.

Something grabbed hold of Penelope's ankle and jerked her down. She was pulled down. She could not breathe, see or grab hold of anything. Water rushed passed as she was dragged down.

She suddenly felt something go around her waist. A sensational feeling ran throughout her whole body. A tug of war almost broke out of something pulling her up and something pulling her down. She kicked at what was pulling her down and broke loose from what pulled her up.

She gasped for air and coughed. She swam for the steps leading out and climbed up them. She shook her tail and head and walked towards home. Pepe followed her after a moment. He had jumped in after all. He was all soaked like her.

Penelope was ready to say something to him when she turned to face him, but she lost her breath and felt hot all over again.

Pepe's clothes clung to him showing how thin he was. He was not buff or had packs, but he was very attractive.

She was so busy staring at him that she bumped into somebody.

"Watch eet!" a French voice snapped at her.

A brown alley cat stared at her. He was grungy and wearing shabby clothes. A gray cat came from behind him and was dressed similar.

"Bonjour pretty," the second cat said. "I'm Sweathead."

"I'm Bratty," said the first.

Penelope felt uncomfortable and didn't know what to say. Pepe, knowing what was happening, grabbed her wrist and pulled her away. He was not fast enough.

The two thugs pulled both of them and put filthy sacks on their heads. The two were dragged along the gravel into an alleyway. The sacks were pulled off and they were standing at the wall.

The two alleycats pulled out two guns. Penelope shrieked in fear, but Pepe reached over and put his hand over her mouth.

"Now zhe skunk gives us payment in cash," said Bratty

"And something, something from her," Sweathead said.

Penelope was more afraid than disgusted.

"Don't touch her," Pepe said.

Penelope had never been held up before, so she raised her arms in the air to surrender. Pepe quickly reached out to lower them.

Suddenly Bratty dropped his gun and grabbed Penelope into her arms.

"Take a chance to get to know us," he said. Sweathead laughed.

Penelope was now really afraid.

"Just stop it," she begged.

The two alleycats laughed uproariously at her.

"Now, now," Bratty said. "It will be quick just spend the night with both of us and you can go."

"If you have a baby we don't care," Sweathead laughed.

Penelope almost screamed in rage and fear. She struggled among Bratty's twisted like arms. Sweathead was near to running his hand on her wet legs. She heard a gun cock near her. She saw Pepe holding one of the guns. Aiming towards the thieves.

"Let her go or else," he said in a threatening voice.

"Or else what?" Bratty taunted. "Zhat's not even loaded."

Sweathead laughed cruelly.

Pepe pointed the gun up in the air and shot it. The shot rang out and smoke was seen. Penelope was stunned. Not as stunned as Bratty and Sweathead looked.

Bratty dropped her down and walked towards Pepe.

"You had a lot of guts to do zhat you idiot," he said. "Girl protector."

"Lustful desirer thief," Pepe said back.

Bratty furiously walked off out of the alley. Sweathead frowned and gave a disgusted sigh. He followed.

Penelope was still shaking. She saw Pepe had been shaking the whole time too. He was just hiding it to look brave. He also looked guilty of what he had done.

"Let's get home," he said.

After a long walk home the two were safe. They were a still damp from the jump. Penelope took some dry clothes to the bathroom to change. She looked into the mirror and saw her clothes clinging to her.

She ran her hands across her chest, realizing that her bra was easily seen through. Embarrassing, but she wondered if Pepe had noticed. She took her shirt off and stared at her body. It was beautiful. She never really saw how, but now she did. Pepe would drool at her beauty. She was so much more beautiful than the girls on bad magazines. She never wore skimpy clothes or undergarments only.

What would Pepe do if he saw her all gorgeously dressed? She wanted to find out.

She left the bathroom and searched through her clothes. Her two favorite forest green shirts. Brown dress pants and black dress pants. A blue long sleeved blouse. A red silk over shirt. A light blue corduroy.

No dresses. No skirts. Nothing attractive enough. But she would find something.


	11. Illusioned

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

_**Chapter Eleven **_

_**Ill-usioned **_

Morning rose up way to fast for Penelope. She felt weak in the stomach and had a scratchy throat. She was sick from the cold water from last night.

Sniffling, she crawled out of bed to find some medicine.

In the kitchen she found Pepe, lying on the floor, sleeping. A bottle was lying next to him that was half empty.

"Wake up," Penelope gently said. She nudged him with her foot, but he only rolled on his other side and mumbled something in French.

Penelope picked up the bottle to read the label. It seemed to by brandy or something spicy because that's what it smelled like. She read it out loud.

_Spiced Brandy _

_Good for what ales you_

_Good for the following_

_Chills_

_Colds_

_Flu_

_Headache_

_Allergies _

_Warning: May cause hangovers. _

Penelope sniffed the bottle again. She dipped her finger in and tasted it. It felt spicy and then hot. She coughed and gasped. She suddenly took a full swig and put the bottle on the counter. She stumbled off to bed and went to sleep. She didn't see that a label on the back said "works so fast you'll want another chug."

She went into a hazy sleep. She tossed and turned for a while. Then she went still.

About an hour later she awoke feeling very hot. She sweated all over.

"It's so warm in here," she said aloud and sat up.

"Can't argue with zhat," Pepe said.

Penelope jumped in surprise. Pepe was sitting on the floor right at her side swishing a washcloth in a bucket of cold water.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked. "You were out on the floor sleeping."

"I had zhat brandy at 1:00 in the morning because I was freezing. I knocked out on the floor and was asleep for eight hours. So have you. It now exactly 3:00."

Penelope rubbed her head and moaned.

"My head is fuzzy," she said.

"Lie back down," Pepe said. "You need to cool off,"

Penelope obeyed. Pepe got on his knees and placed the cold washcloth over her forehead. The coldness was unbearable for a moment, but it felt good afterward.

Pepe gently moved it over her forehead and around her face. He did her neck too. He was about to head down for her chest when he stopped.

"You better do eet," he said.

Penelope understood. She took it from him and wiped her chest of what was showing. She suddenly decided to test his attention span.

With one hand she moved her collar of her shirt down, enough to show her a little bit of her cleavage. Pepe kept on looking into her eyes as she looked into his. His eyes didn't follow her hands. At least he seemed interested in her eyes. She finally pulled her collar back up again.

"Pepe please," Penelope's heart begged. "Just look at the rest of me. Am I beautiful, because I do around you. You are incredibly handsome. I love your dark eyes, your smile, and your sweet side. I feel like I love you, but I don't know if I do. How could it ever be? You're a skunk, I'm a cat. It's like a shark fish falling in love with frog. They can never be. But could we? I want to be near you 24/7, feel you close to me, comfort me when I feel crushed by my family, know the tender sentiments within me and…"

She suddenly felt it sinking in.

"I love you,"

That was what she badly wanted to say. She wanted to kiss him and have him hold her in his arms. She could almost see both of them looking into each others eyes with a romantic love. Not platonic like it was now. She actually felt a wish to marry him.

He had been better than other men she had known. Tom had always been interested in adventures and pressuring her to do things with him. Things that were not safe or worth the time to do. Tom never listened to her thoughts or comments.

Pepe did. He had listened to her when she spoke. He had done some crazy things, (getting her to stop talking uniformly and walking on the bridge railing.) Those had been fun and safe. Even the bridge railing dare seemed safe (if you had good balance.) Right now, he was taking care of her and respecting her. He was not staring at her body lustfully. He just stared into her eyes.

"Your eyes beautiful," he said randomly. He looked startled at what he said and smiled uneasily.

"Thank you," she said.

She could now see life with Pepe. She wouldn't regret it. She slept in the same bed with him, slept close to him, and adored his embracement around her. She wondered how doing things with him would be, but she couldn't picture any of that.

Pepe got up and took the bucket with him.

"I'll have some icy lemon tea with you in a moment." he said.

"Sounds refreshing," she said.

"Pepe?" she called out after a moment.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Nothing," she answered. She really wanted to say "I love you," but she couldn't. One last thought hung on her mind for a minute until he came back with the icy lemon tea:

"I hope he kisses me someday. Even just once."


	12. Jadore

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Nigel Nimrod

_**Chapter Twelve **_

_**Jadore **_

Penelope was cured from her cold by February 3rd. Her birthday had been the only yesterday. She was now 25. She didn't tell Pepe because he had been just as sick as her the same days that she was.

Four days later, she went out by herself with the money she had found hidden in her jeans pocket. She felt the need to buy a dress. And she did. A really pretty one.

It was black dress with a little matching over jacket. Plus, polished, black high heels.

"Simple, but good enough." She thought. She couldn't afford jewelry though. She did have an old necklace she found by surprise in one of her duffle bags compartments. It was from Tom. It was a simple gold necklace with nothing fancy on it.

Penelope just knew that tonight was the night to tell Pepe how she felt about him.

She didn't know hoe he felt about her, but she knew she would take whatever was said.

"If he just wants to be friends I will accept it," she decided.

She felt very happy later that evening as she put the dress on. She felt very beautiful and attractive with it. Everything felt just fine until a past memory cam back to haunt her.

_Eight years ago in April, Penelope was getting ready to meet a suitor. Nigel Nimrod: a popular cat who owned a corporation of ceramics. She felt nervous and timid like usual. She had to meet him at his mansion in Toulouse. Of course he acted over dramatic like Tom and the rest of the suitors (past and future.) He started off on a dull conversation that almost put Penelope to sleep. He finished it by saying one thing. _

"_Penelope," he said. "Do you like me?" _

"_Well," Penelope said shaking with fear. "I will be honest. I do not." _

"_You cannot just turn down every suitor you court," Nigel said firmly. _

"_I know, I am sorry." Penelope said. _

"_Just remember this," Nigel said. "You keep on turning down suitors and then fall in love with one them years later, they will not love you. It will be too late."_

Penelope remembered that now. She had forgotten it until now.

"Pepe chased me for years and I turned him down," she thought. "He can't possibly love me like he once did. What the point now?"

Depressed, she changed into her normal attire and collapsed on the bed shedding tears.

A few more days passed and Penelope kept on feeling herself falling in love with Pepe. She couldn't control how she felt. She kept on thinking that she only liked him, but she knew she couldn't lie about it. She did love him. She loved like no one else.

She had dreams at night and one actually seemed real.

She was going through a tremendous amount of pain and then she passed out. She awoke later in a dark room. She wandered around her new surroundings and bumped into something. It cried. She felt the thing and realized it was a crib. Squinting, she could see the dim figure of a baby. She smiled and reached out to touch its tiny hand that was reaching out for her. But when she touched it she felt something liquid like. She could finally see what it was. It was blood. She screamed in her dream.

Penelope awoke with a gasp and trembled. She sat up on the couch she had been sleeping at and shook her head.

"It's only a dream," she kept in thinking. "A dream that seemed real."

By the twelve of February she still wondered over that dream. She wondered if it was a vision of the future. It got even more mysterious that night as she dreamed another dream.

In this dream she was walking down a dull hallway seeing pictures of her family. She couldn't see her picture anywhere. The Pussycat family pictures suddenly vanished and she saw a whole line of skunks.

A kind middle- aged skunk with a care worn face. She looked like a mother of many.

A middle-aged skunk with a face of firmness and fatherly love in his eyes.

Then many young skunks around Pepe's age.

Two little girls skunks both together smiling big.

Then the last took Penelope by surprise.

It was a black and white photograph instead of color like the rest. It was a little girl skunk of about four years old. She had dark eyes that looked sad and teary. She had long black hair that went around her face and dropped to her shoulders. She wore black clothes and had a necklace chain around her neck. The pendent was hidden under her shirt collar.

Penelope stared long and hard at her.

"I've seen that face," she said. It looked almost identical to that photograph of Pepe at thirteen. Was it his future child? Because she looked like it.

The nameplate was covered up with dust and when Penelope tried to brush it back it stayed on.

Penelope dozed out of that dream into a wide awakening early that morning. She puzzled over it greatly throughout the day and still fell more deeply in love with Pepe.

She could no longer take it. She had to tell him, not matter what.

"I don't care what Nigel said," She thought. "I will tell the truth…tonight."

She dressed fast and slipped out the window and took the fire escape up a deserted building only a mile away so she could talk it out to herself first. She paced about nervously and smoothed her new dress.

"Pepe" she practiced. "I…no, I feel that things are no longer platonic between us. Ugh! No! Too formal! Um…I love you! No! Too fast! I'd sound like T-Tom! Eck! Ahem, I have the need to marry you. No! Not that! Oh great. I can't think straight!"

She paced around quietly saying nothing. Finally, she could no longer think of anything else to say that made sense.

She was about to head back home when she turned around and almost crashed heads with Pepe.

Both were taken aback and gasped in surprise.

"What are you doing up here?" Penelope asked.

"I usually come up here to figure out tough choices," he said.

"Well that very, very nice," she said quickly. "Now, I'll just head back and hit myself with a frozen food item and try to figure out my problems later."

"Actually, I need to talk to you." Pepe said.

"Oh! Okay," she said.

"Have the words, have the words." She kept on telling herself in her mind. She noticed that Pepe was dressed as nicely as she was. A black tux.

"Penelope," he said. "Have you been thinking about leaving?"

"No," she said. "Actually I was up because I was trying to figure out a way to tell you something important. Uh…you go first with what you were saying before I'm a babbling fool though."

There was an awkward silence. Neither of them spoke.

"Well," Pepe began again. "I don't really want to leave. I like you living with me. The only thing is it doesn't feel exactly right in some ways."

"So, you like me." Penelope said. "As a close friend?"

"I want to for your sake," he said, looking at her with affection.

"My sake?" she said. "Why my sake? I'm not afraid of you at all. I feel like I've known you personally for a long time."

"You do?" he said excitedly.

"Yes," she said plainly.

"Because…" he paused and didn't look excited but nervous. "I can't say. What were you thinking of up here?"

"About many things," she said. "I though about every suitor I was forced to court and what I wanted in someone to love. I've never found it."

She wanted to say "until now," but couldn't say it. She noticed Pepe looked disappointed.

"Except that…"she began again. "Oh, Pepe listen!"

She grabbed Pepe's hand into hers and pulled him closer to her face. They were five inches close to each other's face.

"I did hate you before, but I can't believe that I once did. When I saw you alone in that alleyway I felt sorry for you. I grew to accept you as a friend that I needed. A best friend. The only friend I've ever had. Then all of a sudden, when you told me about when you got drunk at a young age and mentioning your parents; I felt touched that you would even say that they would love me as their own. I felt strange for the next few days. I noticed your handsomeness, your courage in the alley with those two thugs. Then the next as you attended me because of my sickness I…"

She felt tears of frustration in her eyes. She had been almost shouting at him, now she felt quiet and said softly.

"I fell deeply…in…love with you," She said it.

"Now all I want to know is why you haven't made any kind of attempt or move to woo me, like before."

"So you wouldn't leave in fear," Pepe answered.

"Leave?" she said.

"I confess." He said sounding defeated. "I've secretly been loving you after you tripped over me in the alleyway. I didn't want you to leave, so I controlled my old ways and learned more about you. I knew you would take off once I acted my old self. I didn't want you to leave. When I discovered zhat you ran off somewhere, I went on to smoking and drinking that brandy because I was miserable; without you."

"I've liked many girls, but I never loved them like I have…loved you."

Penelope felt as if her heart was weeping with happiness. Her tears of frustration welled up into tears of affection for him.

"You didn't have to do all that," she said.

"I wanted too," he said. His eyes were drawn to her necklace.

"Where'd you get zhis?" he asked.

"It was gift from…my ex." She said. "He said it was real gold. REAL gold. I knew better, it's not. But it's the one of the only fine pieces of jewelry I've owned. Papa gave me an old Victorian locket for my tenth birthday that had his picture in it and a quote; "Savoir-faire.' I had to sell it a year later so I could have the money to but him a Christmas gift. I never told him the truth."

"Zhis necklace eez dull," Pepe said. "Eet hardly has a shine."

"That's my ex for you then," she said. "He was too good for me, but you're not. You're what I've always wanted in someone to love me. I'm just sorry that it can't happen."

"What?"

"You're a skunk. I'm a cat. It could never work. My family would shun me out and never speak to me again. As nice as your parents sound, I bet they do the same. I mean no offense, its just…this could never work. I would give anything to keep on staying with you."

Eet can work," he said. "Eef I get shunned and you do, so what? I'd have you. I do know zhat my parents would like you."

"Why?"

"You're like-able."

"So are you," she said. "I never loved any suitors I knew, like I said, too good for me."

"Even eef you deed," he said. "I would've felt miserable for you. You're too good for any one else. Even for me."

Tears poured from Penelope's eyes at that gentle term.

"Don't ever think that," she whispered.

She wiped her tears with her sleeve and realized her face was closer to Pepe's.

She lightly closed her eyes and felt both their lips brush against each others. She remembered what she had read about Pepe's first kiss. How it all happened and how he felt afterwards. She wondered if it was a time to do what she wanted to do or if it was not.

Before anything else could come to thought they both kissed. Never had Penelope had this type of experience. It was long, tender and loving. Just right. Her arms went around his neck and for a moment so did his to hers. Until his arms ran down her back to her waist. She felt his hands go to her neck and play with the clasp of her necklace. He unlatched it and drop from his fingers where it broke to the ground. Penelope couldn't care less. That was her past, now she felt bare at the neck, waiting for Pepe to cover it.

After a whole minute they broke apart. Still holding each other, they both started into the other's eyes. After a whole minute they kissed again. This time it was different. It was passionate and tongue in mouth.

Penelope didn't want it to end. She felt wanted now and knew what she wanted. She only wished it could go farther than now. But that was not worth doing unless you were married.

Pepe gently pushed her away from him so he could look into her face. He still held her at the waist. She still held at his neck.

"You feel slimmer zhan you look," he said slyly.

"No one dared to explore that until now," she said almost flirtatious.

"I know zhat you have no "fine jewelry," but will zhis do?" he asked. He slipped off his left ring finger a gold colored ring. It was simple; no diamonds or gems.

Penelope had not noticed a ring on him at all until now. She gasped in bliss and tears of happiness.

"Where did you get it?" she asked, examining it.

"Eet was my purity ring," he said. "Now, eet's your engagement/wedding ring, eef you say yes."

Penelope felt so touched by that fact. She felt more tears of happiness in her eyes. She didn't hesitate to answer.

"Yes," she said holding back a sob.

_Authors Note: One, two, three, everybody say "AAWW!!" It's so sweet. Purity ring then becomes wedding/engagement ring. I just had to do it. _


	13. Full House

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I own all of Pepe's family. (Yes! It's meet the in-laws time! By the way Louis is not pronounced like Lewis. It's pronounced like Louie.)

_**Chapter 13 **_

_**Full House **_

A soft flutter of her eye lashed woke her to greet the day. Penelope gazed at her surroundings and realized she was in Pepe's room. It was still early morning and dim. For a strange reason it was cold. She pulled the covers up to her chin and was ready to shut her eyes again when…

"Pen! Pen! Wake up!"

Pepe jumped onto the bed and shook her hard.

Penelope groaned and tried to push him aside.

"Not now," she moaned. She was tired from last night.

"Come on," Pepe said. He reached over her and lifted something from off the floor. "You'll want zhis."

Penelope gasped and snatched it out of his hand. "Pepe!" she said sternly.

"Fun while eet lasted." He said.

Penelope slipped her bra on under the covers.

"I promised my parents that I would visit them een a week. Like zhe 1st of March."

"And I should go with you," Penelope said. "I know. I promised. I'm just nervous to meet them."

"They will adore you," he said, before he kissed her.

March 1st came by fast. Too fast for Penelope. She still felt as if it was Valentine's day/night.

She had been walking with Pepe for about an hour and a half and was tired. She was wearing the same clothes she wore when she and Pepe confessed their love for one another. Pepe was casual in jeans and his tux shirt and jacket. He had a small box tucked under one arm.

"Why do you have to bring a box with you?" she asked.

"Nothing much," he answered.

They went through an alleyway and came to a gravel path which led to a grassy bank. This led to a dock that was the pathway to a house. All around to the sides and farther out was a small bay. It was evening already, but Penelope could dimly see other houses built around the area.

"Whoa!" Penelope said in amazement.

It was a tall two-story brown house with wood. The little stairs led up to a porch with a porch swing. The roof looked as if a child could climb around on it. The drainpipe was capable of being a way to climb onto the roof.

"Oui," Pepe said happily. "And eet's _very dangerous_ inside because of ankle-biters. So wait out here zhe porch first."

"Gladly," Penelope said. Pepe went in smiling. Penelope gazed through the window behind the swing.

"Pepe!" two voices screamed in joy.

She saw two little girl skunks rushing toward him. One jumped into his free arm and the other hugged one of his legs.

"Mama!" the one hugging his leg called. "Pepe's home."

A kind old woman skunk came out of what appeared to the kitchen. She had a light purple dress and worn shoes. Her face was care-worn and motherly.

"Oh my son!" she cried in joy. She hugged him and the little girl in his arms tightly.

"Bonjour Mom," Pepe said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"There he eez," said an old gentleman skunk.

"Bonjour Dad," Pepe said, putting the little girl down.

A sudden rushing down the stairs was heard and a skunk in a work uniform that looked almost identical to Pepe ran down.

"Where have you been?!" he shouted. "We were all worried. Weren't we girls?"

"No we weren't Louis." the two little girls shouted. One of them looked over to the window that Penelope was looking out through and squealed.

"Mama! A pretty lady!"

"A friend?" asked Nancy.

"No," Pepe said. "She's Penelope, my…"

"Girlfriend?" his mom cried. "Finally!"

Penelope came through the door and sighed confidently.

"I am all pleased, all pleased, all pleased." Pepe's mom said. "Call me Nancy. Call my husband Henry and my second son Louis and my twins Marie and Ann."

"Ann eez short for Antoinette." Ann said.

"Like the queen?" Penelope asked her.

"Exactly." Ann said.

"Oh, Henry where are Diego, Shamus, Josephine and Joan at?" Nancy said.

"Now don't you worry." Henry said pushing himself into the long wooden table. "(Just like a mother.) Shamus works late, Joan has sports, Josephine is at zhe modeling studio and Diego…eez probably sneaking into a women's benefit club."

"Oh." Nancy said in disgust. "Zhat boy. He's 21 and steel acts like a child."

"Mom," Pepe said. "I have something to tell you and the rest of zhe family. Penelope and I are…"

"Together." Marie and Ann cheered our shooting up their arms in the air and jumping.

"Zhat's wonderful Diet Pepsi," Nancy said. She led Penelope over to the table and sat her down. There were a few chairs, but one bench enough for three on one side.

"Mom!" Pepe shouted in frustration.

"What?" Nancy asked. "Oh, zut alors! I'm sorry dear. I forgot. Old habits die hard. I keep on forgetting you don't go by Diet Pepsi as a nickname any more."

She hugged her son and went into the kitchen.

Marie sat next to Penelope and smiled. Penelope studied her and Ann. They were twins alright, but not identical. They were fraternal. It was their hair that made them fraternal; Ann had white bangs like her mother, but Marie's hair was not bangs at all, but jaw-line length black hair, with a clean part that ran down the middle. The sisters wore dresses that were knee-length and had a tiny flower print. Ann's was light pink and Marie's was light blue. They both had black patent mary jane's and dingy anklets.

"How long have you been Pepper's girlfriend?" Ann asked.

"She's not his girlfriend-" Pepe said to her.

"Well, who eez she zhen?" Marie asked.

"So, Penelope," Henry said. "How long have you known Pepe?"

"Long enough," Pepe said who wanted the questions to stop for a moment so he could speak.

"You look like zhe type from Orleans," Louis said. "Forgive me for noticing. I am inquisitive about zhe rich folk."

"I'm not rich myself," Penelope said shyly.

"Zhat's good," Henry said. "You only need to be rich at heart. How? By having a good family, food, nice clothes for the cold, books to read instead of boring old T.V…

"And love for others." finished Pepe and Louis together. Obviously, they had both heard this speech many times.

"Merci beucoupe," Henry said smartly.

Penelope didn't mind at all. This was much better than she thought. She actually liked the Le Pews. They were all happy and talking. No one addressed anyone by first and second name. No one had to stand for the mother, everything was just right.

Supper was delicious. Not made by gourmet chefs, but by Nancy. She loved how Pepe and the twins had special nicknames for each other. The twins called him "Pepper" and he called Marie "Cocoa" and Ann "Shortcake."

Henry had nicknames for all his kids. Louis was called "Brainiac" because he was smart. Diego was called "Fireworks" because he was energetic as one. Shamus was called "Book-skunk" because he loved reading. Josephine was called "Debutante" because that's what she wanted to be. Joan who was a tom-boy was called "Tommy Boy." Marie was called "Merry-go-round" and Ann was called "Twirly." Of course, Pepe was called "Diet Pepsi."

By the time supper was over, yelling could be heard outside.

"How could you have done eet?!" a voice screamed.

"How could you have ruined my reputation in front of my guy-pals?!" said an answer.

The door slammed open and two girls skunk stormed in yelling at each other. One of them was 16 and wearing a maroon paisley design skirt and plum purple V neck shirt. She had very high heel black boots and her bangs were draped over her left eye and were black with one thin white stripe down the center.

The other one was 14 and had white bangs with a black stripe down the center with a bobby pin pulling it back. She wore a light lavender tank with a black hoodie jacket. Her jeans were faded and had holes at the knees. She had converse shoes like Pepe's, but instead of being black they were light lavender.

"Why would you go about saying zhat you had a boyfriend zhat I worked with in the modeling studio?!" The 16 year old ordered. She was Josephine. Joan answered her.

"Simple," Joan said. "I have ze I.Q. of a peanut, and pride as beeg as a jumbo brittle bar."

"Why is Moi not surprised?" Josephine said.

"Because you never are!" Joan snapped back. "You fashion models are stoooopid! All you eat is a tiny amount!" She then went dramatic and said; "Oh, I'm so hungry, I could eat a whole cashew! Or I could eat pecan! Oh, they are so filling to the tum-tum! Yum-Yum!"

"Oh be quiet!" Josephine said. "All you eat is pretzels, for your comforting before playing."

"I have to," Joan said.

"Well I-" Josephine began

"Ladies!" Nancy shouted. The girls went quiet. "Sil vouse plait (please) stop arguing and eat what eez left over."

The girls obeyed, but narrowed their eyes at each other.

Louis and Pepe went with Nancy to clean away the dishes as the two poked each other in the sides with their elbows. They ate fast so they could finish their homework for high-school.

"I wish my sisters had conversations like that," remarked Penelope.

"Thanks," Joan said. She then looked at her in surprise. "Who are you?!"

"She's Pepe's girlfriend." Marie said.

"Oh!" Josephine and Joan said.

"Now Debutante, Tommy Boy" Henry said. "I suggesting you both get those essays on heroes/heroines done since they are due next week. No arguing with me or each other."

The girls sighed and went upstairs.

"You're what?!" Nancy suddenly shouted. She came running out of the kitchen and yanked Henry by the collar.

"You're son; Pepe Chevalier Le Pew is married!" she burst into tears off happiness and hugged Penelope tightly.

"Why didn't he say anything?" Henry asked.

"We were so happy to have him home we barely gave him a chance," Nancy answered.

The rest of the evening was quiet. Josephine and Joan were upstairs doing there homework. Louis quietly played the piano. Henry was reading the newspaper. Pepe had been reading to Marie and Ann but the three of them fell asleep on the window seat. Pepe had his knees drawn up near his chest, still holding the book. Marie leaned against the cold windowpane, hugging herself. Ann hugged one of Pepe's ankles and had both of his feet as a pillow. Maybe those old converse shoes were comfy to sleep in and on.

Penelope was bonding with her mother-in-law. She told everything about her past and how it effected her. How much she loved Pepe and loved everything about him. Her top three favorite things about him was his handsome eyes, the way he would kiss her (passionately and sweetly,) and his vow to cherish her and love her forever. Nancy talked a lot about what Pepe was like as a child. His first word was "Ooh-la-la," how he was excited about becoming a big brother when he was only three when Louis was born. How close he and Josephine used to be and how she grew up into what she was. How much Joan loved sports and how precious Marie and Ann were.

She also spoke about her younger days of being married to Henry. How they eloped and started a new life when they were only 15. What it felt like to have five miscarriages over ten years before Pepe was born. What it was like having a huge family. She mentioned about her wedding. How it was a small chapel and she wore a pretty dress and instead of a veil she had a little silver tiara. She told Penelope to not worry about having just said vows in front of a judge and signing the wedding license.

"As long as you say, I do and sign zhat certificate, you are married." Nancy said.

"Where did you go for you honeymoon?"

"Where did you?" Penelope asked.

"Well, we went to this motel and had a nice leetle dinner. We had no relations if you know what I mean until a month later. I steel don't know why. I found out exactly when I was expecting a baby. I ate more than usual, I sighed for no reason other than I was happy and felt a quick heartbeat around Henry. Besides, I threw up about three weeks later. So what did you do."

"We spent the night on the roof that we had our first kiss," Penelope said. "Just staring out at the view and kissing. We fell asleep out there and woke up late in the evening. So we went home."

"Well, all I can tell you eez you will love everything good thing in marriage. I'm just happy Pepe is still pure."

Penelope glanced across the room to see her husband sleeping and mumbling in French as his sisters imitated him.

"He's not anymore," she confessed.

"He what?" Nancy said. "I told him many times that relations are for marriage! He didn't listen."

"He did," Penelope said. "We were married on February 14th and the next night when we got home-it all happened."

Nancy listened intently. Penelope whispered low so only Nancy could hear.

"I never asked if he did or not, but I found out that night when I asked him to touch my chest…without a dress or bra. His hands trembled hard, making it obvious he had never done this before. He gave me his purity ring to me as a wedding ring as if to give his virginity to me and only me. I am so glad I did it only with him and no one else. He found out I'm very weak when being kissed at the neck."

She touched her neck and smiled at the feeling of Pepe kissing her there. Her heart beated fast looking at him. She sighed dreamily and felt her stomach quietly growl for more.

As she stared down at her wedding ring she smiled and knew she was looking forward to doing it again.


	14. Penelope's Surprise

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I own the whole Le Pew family.

_**Chapter Fourteen **_

_**Penelope's Surprise **_

The moment Penelope opened her eyes, she knew she was not at home. She was in a small room in a bed big enough for one person. The only covers on her was a heavy quilt. (In spring and summer, it was replaced with a light afghan.) She sat up straight and looked at her surroundings.

The room was not painted in color, but was just wood. There was a desk in the corner with many old paper sheets with musical notes and lyrics written on them. A small walk in closet and a window was on her right. She could see the grassy areas and small buildings still dim since it was six o clock. The nightstand at her right had old books titled _Les Miserables_, _La Belle et la Bete, Napoleon I of France _and_ The History of Joan of Arc. _

Another book caught her eye that said: _The Guide to Being a Romantic_. She flipped through the pages and skimmed through the first few chapters. They went over how to charm your true love and win their heart. Pick-up lines and ways to kiss. It said the French kissing usually gets the tension between a couple stirring.

"He was definitely a teenager when he read this," she said aloud. She noticed several different sentences and paragraphs that were highlighted. Little notes were written at the side in a boy's messy handwriting.

She put the book down and got out of bed. She had been offered by Nancy to sleep in Pepe's old room. Pepe had slept on the window seat through the whole night with Marie and Ann. They were bound to feel cramped in the back and legs this morning for sure.

Penelope had enjoyed her night sleep. She dozed off wondering how many times Pepe had slept on the same pillow since her grew out of his crib.

Suddenly, she felt dizzy. She stood there for a moment rubbing her eyes. She felt sick in the stomach. It was still cold/flu season. She stumbled to the door and peeked outside. It was quiet. Perhaps no one was up. She went up the hallway to the stairs and went down.

Sure enough, Pepe, Marie and Ann were still where they were the night before. Pepe was now on his side and almost falling off the window seat. Marie was on her back and had both hands behind her head. Ann had her back to Marie and kept on kicking her foot against the windowpane. Pepe finally fell off and hit the floor. Amazingly he still stayed asleep. He only winced and mumbled "Quit hogging zhe bed Penelope."

Marie muttered; "Once upon a time, there was a frog."

Ann grumbled; "Gimme more apple cider!"

Penelope felt her heart beat fast and sigh blissfully at the sight. She went into the kitchen and found Nancy there reading a women's household magazine. A sweet aroma of tea and sticky rolls filled Penelope's nose and then made her feel nauseous.

"Good morning, are you hungry?" Nancy asked cheerfully.

"Yes and no." Penelope said. "I want to eat, but I feel too sick."

"Well, you just have some tea instead," Nancy said getting up to find a cup.

"Nancy?" Penelope said. "I feel strange."

"What kind of strange?" Nancy asked. "Do you feel guilty about sharing you first guilty pleasure to me?"

"No, not really." Penelope answered. "I feel hungry and sick at once."

She suddenly felt a nasty sick feeling in her stomach as if it was rushing up. She saw a huge tin bowl on the counter. She ran to eat and threw up.

"Oh dear," Nancy said. "Upstairs."

She helped Penelope up and shoved her into the small guest bathroom and held her at the stomach over the toilet. Penelope threw up more and spluttered.

"I am glad zhat I had eight children or else I would be passing out right now." she remarked to herself.

"I'm so sorry," Penelope coughed.

"Don't be Honey," Nancy said. "I've seen worse up-chucks."

Soon Penelope was done and Nancy sent her into bed to rest.

"Now, you let me know when you want breakfast," Nancy said. "Eat when you feel better. Do you want some water or tea?"

"Yes, both." Penelope exhaled to check her breath. It smelled awful.

Penelope lay in bed for the next hour sipping tea and water. She felt better, but not strong enough to hold down food.

She gently shut her eyes and fell half asleep. She heard the door quietly open and thought it was Nancy.

"No, Nancy I can't eat." She said.

"Nancy?!" said Pepe.

"Oh, its you." Penelope said, feeling relieved. She felt her heart beat a little fast at seeing

him. "Enjoy your sleep?"

"Yes, I awoke on zhe floor." he said. "I loved falling asleep zhere when I read to zhe twins when zhey were babies, but now that they are eight zhey take up a lot of room."

Are you okay? Mom told me didn't feel good this morning." he added.

"I'm almost much better," she said. "I just don't understand how I can feel sick, when I felt just fine yesterday."

"Maybe your going through zhat once a month thing zhat women go through," he said as he sat on the floor by her side. He got on his knees and kissed her on the lips. Penelope felt weak, but kissed him back.

She was remembering her talk with Nancy and something hit her.

"_I__ ate more than usual, I sighed for no reason other than I was happy and felt a quick heartbeat around Henry. Besides, I threw up about three weeks later." _

Penelope thought fast and remembered that at supper she ate more than she usually would have. She had sighed twice around Pepe and felt her heart race at the sight of him. She had thrown up today. Most of all, her menstruation was late. Very late. Two weeks late.

Author's Note:_ La Belle et la Bete _is French forthe fairy tale _Beauty and the Beast_.


	15. Of Midnight Treats and Cravings

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

_**Chapter Fifteen **_

_**Of Midnight Treats, and Cravings. **_

Penelope felt better later than afternoon when she and Pepe left home.

She had enjoyed her visit. She already loved the family especially Marie and Ann, who squealed with joy finding that their oldest brother had given them little snow globes as presents. (Marie's had the Norte Dame Cathedral with little birds as the "snow" swirling in it. Ann's was the Louvre Museum with glitter as the "snow.") Even Joan and Josephine were likable. Diego and Shamus never came for unknown reasons.

The whole walk home seemed longer and weary than before to Penelope. She just wanted to fall on her bed and sleep. She had never felt this fatigued before. Her chest felt a bit odd. Like it was swelling.

At night; midnight to be precise, she could no longer bear it. She slowly crawled out of bed into the bathroom and examined herself for changes.

Her stomach was no different. It looked the same and felt the same. The rest of her felt fine. It was her chest that bothered her the most. It felt swollen like when she had broke her hand in first grade.

She peeked down her pajama shirt to check. They did look swollen. For some reason Penelope opened her mouth and looked in the mirror. Nothing wrong in there. Her stomach growled. How could she be hungry at 12:00 at night?

She snuck into the kitchen and scavenged around for something to munch on. She found rolls in the fridge with jam. She meant to take one, but instead she took all ten. She put them in a mixing bowl and went back to bed.

She felt content eating rolls with jam in bed. The jam was tart grape/sweet blackberry mix. She had the bowl on the floor where she could reach it and ate one at a time. She had three when someone startled her, who had been awaken by her chewing.

"What are you eating?" Pepe asked.

Penelope spat a huge bite of roll out, but stuffed the rest of it in her mouth.

"Nofing," she said with a full mouth. She pulled the covers over her head and buried herself under her pillow. She felt Pepe roll over to face her side and lean over her body.

"I smell zhat jam!" he said excitedly. Penelope suddenly felt protective of her food.

"Its mine!!" she shouted, tossing the pillow away, throwing off the covers and shoving Pepe to his side of the bed.

She snatched the rolls and stuffed them into her mouth. When she had finished she saw Pepe take something out from the drawer of his nightstand.

"What's that?!" she said sharply.

"Nothing," Pepe said holding it behind his back.

"I smell chocolate!" she panted like a dog. "I smell luxurious French milk chocolate!"

The strong aroma of dark, milk, white and mint chocolate filled the room. Penelope started to drool. Pepe knew what she was going to do.

He shot his arm up in the air to keep it out of her reach. She raised her arms up to get the little box of chocolate, but thankfully (to Pepe) he was 2 ½ inches taller than her. She pinned him to the headboard and almost got it when Pepe nudged her backwards with his free hand and she fell on the bed flat on her back. Pepe carefully lay on top of her and got close to her face. Penelope felt that familiar burning hot passion run throughout her body and she trembled. She pulled her head up and gave Pepe a long passionate kiss. Pepe did return it, but did not have in mind what she had in mind.

"Its not happening tonight," he said when they broke apart. Penelope looked disappointed. "Why eez it zhat you ate ten rolls that where for breakfast and try to take my secret stash?"

"I'm hungry," Penelope answered innocently.

"You don't eat like zhis at all," Pepe said looking concerned. "You're not yourself."

She suddenly knew the truth at those last words. She was not just hungry; she had been craving for chocolate and those rolls all evening. There could be only one reason why; she was having a baby. She was! Now it all fell into place. She had morning sickness already, ate and craved food, sighed and had a fast racing heart. Of course she had a late menstruation.

She felt nervous and happy all at once. Her eyes went dreamy and she smiled. Pepe looked at her confused. She kissed him on the nose, which made it scrunch up for a second.

"I love you," she said wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Penelope, I don't want se-" he began frustrated.

"I know." She said. "I'm not myself thanks to you."

"What deed I do?" he said as if it wasn't his fault.

"You made me get pregnant," she said.

Pepe looked daunted at first and then he slapped his hand over his eyes.

"Stupid!" he mumbled under his breath.

"No," Penelope said. "You're not stupid, you're daddy."

She kissed him sweetly as he smiled at her. He kissed her back and pushed aside his secret stash.


	16. Preparing for the Event

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I own Nancy and Henry.

_**Chapter Sixteen **_

_**Preparing for the Event **_

A warm glow of the sun's rays warmed her face, but blinded her eyes. Penelope (now pregnant) pulled the covers up higher to shield her eyes. She almost went back to sleep when she didn't feel Pepe's presence next to her. She flew the covers off and looked around. She did smell something delicious from the kitchen. She climbed out of bed and stood for a moment recovering from a quick experience in dizziness.

She left the bedroom to see Pepe in the kitchen, searching through the cupboards for spices.

"Saffron, where zhe saffron?" he muttered.

"What saffron?" Penelope asked.

Pepe barely hesitated and kept searching.

"A spice for your omelet on the counter," he answered.

Penelope's eyes went wide at the look of the tasty omelet.

"Who needs saffron?!" she shouted. "This looks deeelicious!!"

The omelet was gone in three bites.

Later, that morning Penelope had morning sickness. It was awful. She lay on the bed breathing deeply. Pepe sat next to her, reading a name book he had found among his old stuff. Nancy gave it to him after she vowed to never have anymore kids.

It had every single type of name meaning and origin. He couldn't find his name except Pepin (which was French and meant _determined_.) Nancy had told him that Pepe meant the same thing and that she almost named him Pepin.

"I found your name," he said. "Penelope means "_With a web over her face _and its Greek."

"Why do I care?" Penelope said in a monotone voice. She was exhausted from vomiting her guts up.

"What is your middle name?" she asked.

"What's your's?" Pepe asked.

"Peony," Penelope said. She wondered why she never had a pretty middle name like "Rosemarie" or "Brigette."

"Rosalie: French and means_ Rose_." he said thoughtfully.

"So?" Penelope asked. She felt somewhat cranky and moody right now. However, she knew this would happen.

"I'm just curious about names and meanings," he answered. "You don't want our child called "Nothing" or "It" would you?"

"We don't know the gender yet," she said.

"We can guess," Pepe said.

Penelope was anxious to find out the gender. She was happy with either. Yet, she could picture Pepe really well having a little girl. She had for some time now. Ever since that dream she had, it seemed like he would. Names were important. How could they choose if they had no idea though?

"How about this?" she suggested. "You pick a girl name, I pick a boy name. So we have a name for one of them."

"Fair," Pepe said, extending his hand to her. Penelope felt sly and spit in her hand before she shook his. Pepe looked disgusted.

"What ever happened to zhe good old fashioned 'cross my heart and hope to die?'" he moaned.

The in-laws were told the next day. Screaming a joy was heard over the phone. Mostly from Marie and Ann who thought they would be cousins.

April came by fast. Penelope stomach grew a bit bigger every other day. She still had her beautiful figure though. She wasn't as fat as she though she would be. Maybe it was because cats were pregnant for two-three months. Skunks were the same yet, Nancy (in past photographs seemed very big, except when she was expecting Pepe and Louis, who were both not premature, but quite small at birth,) had said she gained much weight while pregnant and never got back to her nice medium figure. Her size that she had now did show what she had done. She was proud of that.

"Eight children, fifteen pregnancies," she said happily. "Eez my trademark of being a mother."

She told Penelope that she had five miscarriages, before she had Pepe and the rest. She said she was so depressed she didn't want any children at all. She did though thanks to Henry's comfort and gentleness as a husband.

Penelope feared having a miscarriage, but felt assured that they were rare and only happened among unhealthy most of the time.

Soon, two names were selected for the child; Pheffe Rosalie Le Pew and Perry Emile Le Pew. Pepe found Pheffe sounding the same as his name as the end and meaning "_determined_" and also French.

"What was your middle name anyway?" Penelope asked one evening.

"Chevalier," he said.

"Like Maurice Chevalier, the singer?" she asked, smiling.

"Exactly," he said. "Dad's middle name eez Maurice so why not give me zhe last name for zhe middle name?"

Penelope smiled blissfully at him and felt her stomach. It was getting and feeling bigger than usual.


	17. A Little Wrapping of Joy and Love

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Nancy and (Im not saying the name yet!!)

_**Chapter Seventeen **_

_**A Little Wrapping of Joy and Love **_

"How long has it been?" Penelope wondered to herself one warm morning in June. She had one hand over her big stomach and felt concerned. The baby was due in mid-May. Now that it was June 2nd something was wrong. Was the baby dead?

"No, it can't be," Penelope thought. "I still feel it kicking and moving around." She kept on staring down at herself until she could no longer bear it.

Quietly, she snuck out of the house. (Pepe had been awake half of the night, trying to find newspaper ads about journalism. Now he was sleeping with his head resting on the breakfast bar.)

She knew where she was going: the hospital to find out what was happening. When she got there she was ordered to wait. Stubbornly, she did. She waited an hour. Then another hour and another hour. Than another hour.

To her horror, she realized Pepe had arrived, suspecting she was there. He somehow knew she had been concerned as much as he secretly had been as well. Penelope grabbed a magazine and hid her face.

"Bonjour," she heard Pepe say to her. He sounded annoyed.

"I'm nervous," she said quickly and putting down the magazine. She was caught.

"Doez zhat mean you can just go and how you say? Leave!" he snapped.

"Now don't sass me," Penelope said frustrated. "You would be worried to if you had not had given birth late. And will you ever? No! I-ah!"

A sudden pain ran through her. She panted and hugged herself. It stopped. She stood bent over breathing hard. Pepe got to her level and puzzled for a moment. Then suddenly he remembered those long pitch black nights of hearing his mother sounding like that.

"We need to get you a room," he said. He helped her up, but she collapsed back down and groaned.

"Don't make me stand," she gasped.

The hospital was busier than usual today, so no nurse came to their aid. Pepe grabbed hold of her fists tightly and dragged her over to a rolling bed. He boosted her up and she went calm.

"I'm alright now," she said cheerfully.

"You are now, but you won't be in one minute," he said sharply.

"Why?" she asked.

Pepe clenched his fists together at his sides tightly and grimaced his face in frustration.

"I'll say zhis slowly," he said. "You're-having-contractions!"

"What in zhe world eez going?" a short nurse hollered. She stamped over and suddenly pushed the bed with great strength to the elevator. She gave no time for either of the two to explain. She zoomed down the halls so fast that Pepe had to run to catch up. Penelope saw everything rushing past her and she felt dazed.

The next thing she knew was she had been changed into a hospital gown and was in a different bed.

"What happened?" she said.

Pepe came gasping and worn out. "I called Mom," he gasped.

The nurse yelled at him for loitering in the hallway while a woman was having contractions. Soon the argument was in nothing but French. Penelope could not understand it, except her name. The nurse slapped a bracelet around her wrist and went to get some ice cubes for her.

A sudden pain shot and she felt her water breaking. Now, it really was painful. Pepe was at her side at once. He yanked a chair to her right side and laced his hand with hers.

"I know what eez going to happen and I won't pass out," he said. "I had to be in zhe E.R. with Mom when the Marie and Ann were born because Dad was sick. Eet was no joyride for Mom, me or the doctors."

"Why?" she gasped.

"Zhe twins got stuck on zhe way out. Almost deed a C-section," he answered.

Penelope felt more pain that was unbearable. It felt like the pain she had experienced in that one dream. She didn't want to cry, but it was too much for her to handle.

"Penelope dear," she heard Nancy say.

"Nancy?" she gasped.

"What are you doing here?" the nurse yelled who had just returned. "Get out of here!! NOW!!!!"

"Don't tell me what to do!!" Nancy yelled out louder. "I've had eight children; I know zhis labor more than you do. You just bring flowers to rooms."

The frightened nurse shuffled away. Nancy shut the door and scrubbed her hands at the sink. Once she was done she was at Penelope's left side.

The pain was becoming excruciating. Penelope felt tears run from her eyes.

"Oh!" Nancy said gently. "No crying, Sweetie. Eet's okay. Zhis eez normal, I know what you are going through. I know what to do."

Penelope felt more tears run from her eyes and Pepe's hand brush them away with his free hand. She felt his other hand squeeze hers tightly that it hurt, but it felt nice in a way. She did the same and shut her eyes. Sweat began to pour from her head. Nancy ran her hand over Penelope's forehead and stroked her arm.

"Just breathe and I'll tell you when to push." She said.

Nancy went confidently at the end of the bed. She was ready. She had a smile on her face because she was going to see her grandchild really soon. For the next few hours it was nothing, but pushing and encouragements. Penelope felt weak and lost of everything around her. She was worn out by ten o clock at night and felt like she would faint. She did. The last thing she heard was a little cry and the pain beginning to subside.

Nancy hurried over to her holding a small bundle of a blanket. She put her head to Penelope's chest and heard a steady heartbeat. She could hear her breathing.

"Come on," she said to her son, who looked afraid. "She's alright dear, but your new child needs us right now."

Pepe unleased his hand from Penelope's. Both were sweaty.

Pepe kept on turning his head back and stopping in the hall, feeling like he should go back to check on her. He stubbornly followed his mother who went into the baby leave without permission. She ordered nurses to leave. They all left the room. She weighed and measured. Then, dressed the child in a white nightie with pockets on the sleeves so they baby could not scratch. She wrapped the baby in a blanket and put a wool cap over _it's_ head.

Pepe had not paid attention and only started down the hallway. A terrible itch in his ankles twitched to run down to be with his love and wife.

Nancy came out of the empty leave and hugged him tight. She softly cried happily. She started telling of how she remembered when Pepe was born. Pepe was now getting anxious.

"What eez eet?" he asked.

"I'm just happy that you're now a daddy," Nancy sniffed and sobbed.

"No, what eez _eet_?" he said.

"Oh," Nancy said. "See for yourself. I'll go check on her." She gestured down the hall to where Penelope was. She walked down humming a lullaby.

Pepe went into a warm room. In a small incubator was a light green blanket. A white knit cap was pulled nearly down to the nose; which was just like his own. Through the opening, he gently pulled the blanket aside. A swaddled up baby had just managed to pull one arm out of the tight wrapping and move it around. The arm moved the cap up a bit revealing two small eyes that were black and cheerful, yet relaxed. Little eyelashes fluttered like a butterfly's wings. A tiny thumb was being sucked on from an unwrapped hand. The baby had been what Pepe had picked the name out for. A girl. Pheffe Rosalie Le Pew.

Pepe had his breath taken away by her. She looked a lot like him. Yet, she was so…so….so small. Her arms reached out as she cooed and moved her mouth. Pepe gently took her out, and held her that familiar way he had with his siblings when he first met them. It felt different though because she was his very own and he had done part in making her. She stuck out her little tongue and went cross-eyed as she touched her nose with it. She flinched at the wet feeling and brushed her arm against it. She looked delirious for a moment and looked up in her daddy's eyes.

"I used to be pretty good at zhat," he said. She had inherited that from him and looks. She may have her mommy's personality though.

Pepe smiled and she smiled back which looked close to his. Pepe gave her a little kiss on the forehead and she tried to pucker her lips to kiss, but couldn't.

"Don't you worry," he said. "You'll be a pro a zhat someday."

Pheffe cooed loudly and yawned. Her eyes closed and she nestled against her daddy and was asleep. At that moment Pepe knew that love at first sight was very precious when you saw your child for the first time.


	18. A New Lifestyle

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own sweet little Pheffe.

_**Chapter Eighteen **_

_**A New Lifestyle **_

For the rest of the late afternoon and evening Penelope slept. Pepe stayed in the hospital room with her, holding his daughter. Penelope was definitely alive, but exhausted. She slept so deeply she could've slept a year. Her mother-in-law dressed her in better nightclothes that she wore when she was much younger and a new mother. They were soft and warm light blue pajamas.

Once his faithful mother had left, Pepe took possession of a rocking chair and awed over Pheffe.

She was wide awake now. She was so adventurous already. Her eyes looked everywhere and she moved her arms around as if she was trying to figure out what they were for.

Since Penelope was asleep and unable to nurse, Pheffe had a bottle of warm formula. She sucked it down and when she finished it she got drowsy again and went back to sleep.

Pepe held her close and firmly as he drew his legs up to his chest and fell asleep himself.

A small rustle awoke both of them and in the dim darkness they saw Penelope turning over in the hospital bed and sigh as if she was impatiently waiting. Pepe got up and went to her side. He carefully put Pheffe by her side and waited for her reaction.

Pheffe wiggled, trying to get unwrapped in those tight blankets. She grunted and cooed upsettingly. One of her arms hit Penelope on the arm! Startled, she was awake. She looked puzzled at the little figure. Pheffe seemed to look at her in a way of saying "Huh?!"

"Your daughter wanted to see you," Pepe said softly. Penelope was not startled now by his voice.

"Daughter?" she said. She found it so hard to believe. She lifted her into her arms and looked. Pheffe looked so confused, but suddenly squealed delight.

"She looks like you," she smiled.

"Hopefully not my behavior status." he said. He didn't want to have his child run around searching for love her whole life like he had.

Penelope was quiet, taking it all in. the great emotion of now being a mother. Two great things had happened to her already. She had been married and now had a child. It couldn't get any better.

She laid her head back down and let Pheffe rest at her side. Pepe crawled next to her. They were both face to face with their own baby at their shoulders.

A few nights later, Penelope was sleeping when she thought she had heard a small cry. Was her past dream returning to haunt her? She hoped not. She sat up and heard Pheffe was softly crying in her room.

She got up fast and flipped on the lights lit up a light pink room consisting of a crib, rocking chair and changing table. Pheffe suddenly stopped crying and raised up her little arms. Penelope smiled and held on of them. Pheffe's whole hand wrapped around one of her fingers. She was so small compared to Penelope, she almost seemed premature. Thankfully, she was not. She was born a little late, but safely.

Nothing seemed to be wrong, maybe she just wanted attention.

"I guess you're not hungry," she said to her. "I'm a little hungry though, but I can wait. Breakfast is in two hours."

A night later, Penelope couldn't sleep and decided to read on of the baby books in Pheffe's room. When she got there, she found Pepe asleep on the floor. He had a blanket on him and had his arms as a pillow.

"What are you doing?" Penelope whispered to him.

"She wouldn't sleep," he said groggily. Pheffe had been crying for a while and stopped when Pepe stayed with her.

Penelope rolled her eyes and got a book.

"Pheffe, you need too much attention." She thought happily.

All summer and autumn Pheffe was healthy and active. She crawled everywhere at two months old and sucked on her pacifier a lot. She would only suck on one. It was light pink with little red hearts on it. She was able to take it out of her mouth and put it back in. Her hair started growing oddly. There was a stripe like her father's down her neck, back and tail. Yet, her head grew a thick amount of dark solid black hair. It would be like Marie's hair, which was rare, but not a bad thing.

For a while Penelope tried getting her to say "Mama" or "Dada," but she never would try to say it. Pepe, on the other hand would speak to her fluently in French when he tucked her to sleep and she seemed to respond to it best.

Just watching her grow up, made Penelope joyful. Her in-law family adored their granddaughter/niece. (Marie and Ann finally got the real concept of calling her niece instead of cousin.) However, a nagging feeling would come around Penelope making her feel like she should tell _her_ side of the family. She didn't want to. She just knew they would hate her for marrying a skunk and having a child that looked like one with him. Still, she wanted to throw some slight revenge at her mother by telling her that she married first among her sisters and was happy compared to her old life.

"What will I do about that?" she thought.


	19. Sorrow, Choice, and Affection

Don't worry my readers, I wasn't giving up!  I had a brain freeze and needed a brainstorm to get back on track! LOL (If you have never seen a fleur de lis (French for "flower of life"), just google and see an image.) Anyway…

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I own sweet little Pheffe.

_**Chapter Nineteen **_

_**Sorrow, Choice, and Affection. **_

It was late in the evening of Christmas, and Penelope had never felt more cheerful at this time of year than ever. Christmas back at home was not very festive. Her parents had all their upper-class friends over for a huge dinner and the conversation was always dull to the ear. The weather in Holland in March. The broken lamppost on Claries Street. Boring!! Not one thing about gifts, decorations or even the Nativity.

"Someday, I'll tell Mam and the rest what a life I have and then they'll leave me alone." She decided. Her life was now better compared to before and all those past Christmases.

This year would be better and already had been. This was Penelope's first Christmas with Pepe (and family) and Pheffe's first Christmas. She was only six months old too. That whole morning had been with her in-laws who were so precious to her now. The afternoon consisted of the pussycat and her skunk trying to bake pies for Pheffe, which only got burnt.

Now, it was seven-thirty and the house was warm. Pheffe was on the floor shaking a little box that was for her. Pepe lay across from her and was already writing in a new journal Penelope had gotten him. She still had not told him that she read his old one.

"Pheffe, you seem happy enough with just the box," she laughed. Pheffe flung it towards Pepe and smiled that sly, cheery smile.

"Oh, hear," Pepe said. He opened the box for her and let the containment fall out.

It was a necklace. The chain was silver and the pendant was silver, but what was on it made it beautiful. The pendant was shaped like a heart and had a purple sapphire in the center that was cut out like a heart. Around the border of the heart all together were little _fleur de lies_.

"My goodness!" Penelope gasped. "Pepe were did you fid that? And isn't it a little too fancy for her?"

"Not really," he said. "Feast your eyes on eet! Eet had a clasp that never breaks, extension chain and a safe metal for her incase she puts eet een her mouth."

"You've really thought this out have you?" she said admiringly.

"Of course," he said. "Only zhe best for my leetle blossoming fleur…and you."

While Pepe tried to get Pheffe to stay still while he put the necklace on her, Penelope opened her gift. It too was a necklace, actually a heart shaped locket with a little embroidery on it. It was gold and had a matching chain. She was breathless. Pepe got the reaction he had wanted from her.

"Eet's no diamond necklace like millionaires have, but eet's nicer zhan what your ex-lover gave you no?"

"Where'd you find it?" she asked. She felt concerned about the cost.

"eBay," he said uneasily. "Only $10 for Pheffe's and $15 for yours."

"It's better and more expensive than what I had before," she said deeply touched. "My old necklace was from a yard sale; $2.50. You didn't have to; your purity ring was enough for me."

"You deserve more zhan just zhat," he said.

"You've given me more than I would've thought of last year around this time." she said. "You've given me yourself, your commitment, a child, a better family, a safe home and your love. What more can I have?"

"A kiss from me?" he said. Penelope didn't even have to answer that with words.

About a week later, (on January 6th,) Pepe turned 27. Pheffe was walking everywhere and wore her necklace all the time, (except at bath time.) Everything was close to perfect for a while until something heart-wrenching happened.

In May, Penelope had been sick. She threw up and began to eat too much. (Which could mean only one thing.) She was pregnant.

One afternoon she left her skunks at home and went to the hospital. She was pregnant, but something had happened that no parent wants to happen.

"I am sorry, Madame," the nurse said. "Eet's a miscarriage."

"No anything, but that." Penelope began to sob.

"Eet's right hear on zhe test results and on zhe ultrasound." The nurse only said.

Penelope went home and acted like nothing was wrong.

"Where deed you go?" Pepe asked when she walked through the door.

"No where important, I need a rest." She said quickly. "Don't disturb me for a couple of hours."

Well, she didn't nap. She lay on the floor, praying that this was all a nightmare. How could it have happened to her? Why did it happen to her? She cried softly and eventually dozed off.

She awoke to the bedroom door closing.

"Pep?" she said aloud. She realized she was on the bed with a blanket over her.

"You finally woke up," he answered. He got on the bed and sat next to her. "You take zhe nightshift, I've spent zhe whole day with Pheffe."

Penelope looked at her nightstand seeing the time was 10:00 at night! She slept very long!

"You're going to have to tell him sometime," she thought.

"I was at the hospital today for a checkup on myself. I was pregnant and-"

"You are?!" he said in excitement. He kissed her on the lips and hugged her tight.

Penelope angrily broke loose and almost yelled.

"No! Don't get excited! It didn't make it. I had a miscarriage," she flung herself at the end of the bed and began to sob again. A minute later, she felt Pepe lay next to her. She could see he had tears in his eyes. He swallowed hard and let out a shaky sigh.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"No I'm not," she sobbed. "I feel like it my fault." She sat up and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. Pepe sat up next to her.

"Eet's not your fault," he said gently. "You steell have me,"

Penelope stared out into the distance and realized he was right. She leaned into him and put her arms around him as he did the same with her.

"You're right," she said. "Having you is better than nothing at all."

The door went open and Pheffe toddled in, holding her blanket in one arm and fingering her pacifier in her mouth. She looked so sweet and innocent there in her light pink pajamas and black hair which was now near her shoulders. She went to the bed and looked like she was ready to jump on, but since she couldn't, the two let go of each other's grasp and Pepe lifted her up.

"You should be in bed young lady," Penelope scolded lovingly and playfully.

Pheffe spit the pacifier out of her mouth and moved her mouth funny. Her tongue moved as if she wanted to say the letter "L".

"Lamoure," she said. Her first word.


	20. Je'Taime

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Nancy, Pheffe, and Tom Queens.

_**Chapter Twenty**_

_**Je'Taime**_

A day after the miscarriage, Penelope went by herself to see Nancy. She still felt a little depressed and wanted an old mother's advice on recovering from it. She always felt better when she and Nancy talked. She was really a mother to her.

The Le Pew household seemed quiet than usual. Nancy was folding laundry when Penelope came in.

"Oh, Darling," Nancy said pitifully to her. She gave her a warm hug. "I'm sorry. Eet's hard to believe yes?"

"It is." Penelope answered almost crying again.

"Well, zhat's alright to cry," Nancy said. "Tears are not somezhing to ashamed of."

Penelope helped Nancy with the folding for the visit. She loved looking at the wall near her that was covered in photographs of color and black and white. All of them were of Nancy and her family. She looked for ones that had Pepe first. Her favorite was him and Josephine.

He was about twelve in the (black and white) photograph on his hands and knees with Josephine half standing at his side and half climbing onto his back. She had a huge smile on her face and Pepe was smiling smugly at her.

"Eet's alright to be sad," Nancy said. "Just remember, Penelope, you can't be sad forever. You have an in-law who loves you. A husband who would risk his life for you and a daughter who eez going to turn one zhis June. You have eet very good."

"Thank you Nancy," Penelope thanked her. "My mother would give no kind word to me about this right now."

Penelope was comforted completely now. She wasn't pregnant until a year later when Pheffe was two.

By now, Pheffe could talk. She had a French accent like her daddy and her black hair fell lightly to her shoulders. She adored being with her parents, especially Pepe. She hated being far from him or Penelope.

In the middle of the night Marie got really sick with influenza. A really bad case. Nancy texted Pepe at 1:00 in the morning begging for him to get to the hospital with the rest of the family. No arguments were made. He hurried out in concern for his youngest sister. (Well, one of his two youngest sisters.)

Penelope stayed at home since she was going to have morning sickness and was a week pregnant. She didn't want Marie more sick than she already was.

Penelope woke up in the morning to find Pheffe standing in her crib.

"Morning Pheffe," she said cheerfully.

"Wheoir Daddy?" she said sadly. Pepe always checked on her first every morning.

"Daddy went to be with Aunt Marie because she's very sick." Penelope answered. She lifted her out of the crib and put her on the soft carpeted floor. "You want breakfast?"

"I want Daddy," Pheffe said sadly.

"Daddy maybe home tonight" she answered. "Poor Marie, influenza, hospitalized. I wish I could go, but they won't allow children under twelve in the E.R. unless they need an emergency."

"Daddy." Pheffe kept on saying so sadly.

"Pheffe?" Penelope asked. "If I give you some nice breakfast will that make you better?"

"No. Non." Pheffe answered firmly. She narrowed her eyes and repeated her question. "Wheoir Daddy?"

"You miss Daddy a lot?" Penelope asked gently.

"Oui, yes." Pheffe said and went sad instead of frustrated.

Penelope suddenly remembered something. She carried Pheffe to her room and started searching.

"It's got to be hear." She said. "He wouldn't throw it out."

She looked under Pepe's pillow, felt under the mattress and searched through the closets. It was nowhere.

She rummaged through his drawer of his nighttable and noticed there was a board covering the bottom of the drawer. She pushed it down in the back and…there is was. Pepe's journal that she had read to know who he truly was only two years ago today.

"You may not recognize who this is but…" she said pulling out the photograph of him at thirteen. Pheffe was sitting on their bed anxious and her eyes filling up with tears. She looked at it.

"Daddy!!" she cried with joy. "Ooh, Daddy weoird teeth." She pointed to the smile that she knew so well that was now covered with braces.

"Hopefully, you won't get weird teeth like that." Penelope said smiling. Pheffe smiled big.

"He's a teenager here." She said.

"What dat?" Pheffe asked.

"A twisted, mutant form of child and adult." Penelope said making a face.

Pheffe copied her. She was alright for now.


	21. A New Stalker

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Tom Queens and Pheffe

_**Chapter Twenty-One**_

_**A New Stalker **_

The day went by fast. Pheffe was better and Penelope read most of Pepe's journal to her. At least parts that were understandable for her. She received a call from Nancy that Marie was going to be okay and she just needed to keep warm and stay home for two weeks by the least.

She had just finished putting Pheffe down to bed that night when she heard the door quietly open and close. She shut Pheffe's door to see her loved one flopping on the couch exhausted.

She leaned over to see his face. They smiled at each other.

"I'm so glad your home," she said, kissing him. "Pheffe was having a crisis this morning."

"What?" he asked. "What eet serious?"

"She missed you a lot," Penelope answered. "She kept on crying 'Wheroir Daddy?' or 'Daddy.'"

"Zhat bad?" Pepe said in surprise. "I zhink by now she would be tired of me. I check her every morning, I give her breakfast, play with her, diaper her and tuck her een."

"Well, she apparently is not," Penelope answered. "I guess you're just popular with her. She's going to be so happy in the morning to see you."

Pepe got to get a bottle of water when…

"Daddy!!" Pheffe suddenly screamed with joy. She had heard him talk with Mommy, crawled out of her crib and fling the door open. Penelope and Pepe were startled by her: Penelope almost fell backwards onto the couch and Pepe spat out a mouthful of water.

Pheffe ran to him with her arms open wide. Pepe knelt down and scooped her up in on arm. She hugged his neck so tight he might have chocked. (Thankfully, he was used to being hugged tightly.)

"What have you been up to My Leetle Blossoming Fleur?" he asked her playfully.

"Meessing you," she said sweetly. "Don't evah leave me oir Mommy again!"

Only a week passed. Penelope had a miscarriage. It wasn't so hard as before. She felt happy again. Only a few months later, in September she had problems again.

She was among the sidewalk sniffing some flowers, when she felt someone walking up to her from behind. She felt suspicious; she could tell it was not Pepe or Pheffe.

She turned around to see Tom Queens standing behind her with an overjoyed smile.

"Hello," he said. "Haven't seen you in a while. What has it been, three years or something? I haven't seen you at all. You live in Paris now?"

"Yes, please leave me." Penelope said quickly. She started walking down the street.

Tom followed her. He seemed inquisitive. Had her mother sent her to spy on her? Did she know where she was?

"Tom, I don't want to be rude, but please just go away." She said.

"Go away?" he said. "I know where you are. Maybe we can court again. This time, I'll go slower for you and less dramatic."

"You can call if off." She answered.

Tom looked hurt at those words.

"Why?" he asked. "I know I must have scared you with that quick proposal, but I can change and I have…a bit."

"I can't see you because…" she began. She was cut off by Pheffe.

"Mommy look at zhis article in zhe newspaper!" she shouted out in glee. She was coming out of a candy store. She was dressed in attire that Pepe would wear, except it was girly.

"A skunk!" Tom whispered in horror. "Filthy animals."

"Bonjour," Pheffe said politely.

"Get outta here," Tom snapped at her. Pheffe looked shocked by his behavior.

"I only said 'Bonjour.'" She said.

Penelope was too afraid to do anything at this moment. She feared of saying this skunk was her offspring because Tom would ask how and tell to her mother. Yet, she feared Tom would slap Pheffe or something.

"Scram!" Tom screamed at her. Pheffe was terrified there because no one did that to her. She dropped the newspaper and took off running. Tom followed her yelling bad things about skunks. Penelope was running after them when she was cut off by the traffic lights.

Pheffe kept on running for a block or so. She was screaming 'Daddy' repeatedly. She turned a corner. Tom turned to see a mad looking Pepe. One hand on his hip in a fist and the other arm holding Pheffe close to him.

"I hope you have better zhings to do zhan running after cheeldren." He said coldly.

Tom was taken aback.

"Um…sorry sir, er-monsieur." He said timidly. "I didn't know she was yours. Pardon me."

He ran out in fear of their foul stench.

"You okay Sweetheart?" Pepe asked a wide-eyed Pheffe.

"Yeah, oui." She said nodding. "He had cheeldren issues and problems with zhe word 'Bonjour.'"


	22. Penelope's Attempt to Heal Things

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Tom Queens, Penelope's family and Pheffe.

_**Chapter Twenty-Two**_

_**Penelope's Attempt to Heal Things **_

Tom was not seen again for a long time. Penelope kept on worrying that he went to Orleans to tattle on her. She finally made her choice to go back in late January.

"I can't run anymore," she thought. "I have to go back and set things right."

She did. She left her husband and daughter safe at home and promised she would be back in a few days.

Instead of walking she took the train. She was in her old home in a few hours. Nothing had changed, but nothing felt welcoming to her. She walked home and it began to rain.

She stood at the door of her old house and knocked. She felt desperate to run back, but it was too late. The door opened and revealed her father.

"Penelope?" he asked. "Is that you?" He looked shocked, yet like his prayers had been answered.

"Yes." She solemnly answered.

He smiled with his eyes watery and hugged her close. Somehow, she felt happy and hugged him back. It was worth coming back for one of her father's hugs.

"Come on in," he said cheerfully.

Nothing had changed. It was all the same. The household was still its clean self and Francine seemed happy to see her younger sister.

"Penelope!" she screamed with joy and giving her a hug. "You scared us to death."

Guiliane came out of her room reading a wedding gown book. She looked at her and gave a fake smile.

"Oh, you came back." She chuckled. "Where were you for four years?"

Penelope could not answer.

"Mam is going to be so glad your back." Francine squealed happily.

"She will be." Leonardo smiled warmly.

"I'm not so sure about that." Penelope mumbled.

They went into the living room. Bryony came in dressed in her rich herself. A white evening dress and a fur lined coat. She held a martini glass and sipped from it.

"Well, Penelope Peony." She said. "You returned and I have decided to use force on you for courting. You will court Tom Queens. No complaints."

"Bryony Tzila, let Penelope tell us what has happened over these past years." Leonardo said calmly.

The family sat in the living room, all facing her.

"Just take a deep breath and tell the truth." She thought.

"Well," she began clearing her throat. "I left because I felt a need for a change." That was a bit of a lie, but she continued. She figured she would tell only her father later.

"I walked to France. I was thinking about getting a little house to rent when I…Met with my good friend… _Pepper_. H- _She thought about helping me getting a home and finally meeting her family. They are nice, but not as great as you all are." _

"That is it?!" Guiliane said disappointingly.

"No adventure?" Francine asked.

"Well, that sounded like you have been… happy." Leonardo said.

Before Bryony could say anything Penelope knew what to do.

"I can't lie." Penelope thought. "This tale is becoming a tall tale."

"Actually," she said. "That was a lie. I really left because I wasn't happy. I ran away to France and met up with who I was running away from in the first place. I asked him if I could rest temporarily at his home and he let me. Nothing happened, he respected me. I started becoming friends with him and now…after four years I have to say that…were the best of friends."

"That sounds wonderful," Leonardo said. "He must be like a brother to you. Do you live near him?"

"I-I- I live with him." She answered.

"Like roommates?" Francine asked. "You know, college friends?"

"Not at all." She answered.

"What is his name?" Guiliane asked.

"The one who stalked and chased me; Pepe Le Pew."

Everyone's eyes went wide as if in horror.

"Was he a skunk?" Bryony asked coldly.

"Yes." Penelope said. She felt like crying.

"You leave him at once!!" Bryony yelled. "Skunks are nasty, stenching, poverty, lustful brutes!!"

"I can't leave him." Penelope cried.

"Why not?" Everyone asked quickly.

Penelope fiercely pulled the gloves of her paws. Her left hand revealed the ring. No one seemed to understand though. Penelope lashed out.

"I can't leave because I love him. I married three weeks after I left you. I've never. His large family loves like I'm their own flesh and blood. Dare I also mention that three months later our daughter, Pheffe Rosalie Le Pew was born?! Yes, she looks just like him. No feline instincts, but she's my own! Our pride and joy. His little girl. His princess. My baby. Our best _work_. I love him so dearly. I love being his wife and friend. Pepe and Pheffe mean a lot to me. Take it or leave it! Oh, I haven't told either of them yet, but I'm three weeks expecting already."

Francine passed out and Leonardo grabbed a newspaper to fan her. He sweated hard and hyperventilated. Guiliane looked surprised and disgusted all at the same time once she understood what the 'Our best work' part meant. Bryony looked angry. Her eyes seemed to stab Penelope.

"You brat!!" she screamed. She got up as Penelope got up to move away from her. Bryony kicked her hard in the stomach that almost knocked the wind out of Penelope.

Penelope knew it was once again a mistake coming back home. It wasn't even home now. Home was far away with her two skunks.

"I'll take my leave," she said. She ran for the door and outside. Bryony ran out to the door and yelled; "I'll get those two hideous animals and torture them away from you!!"

Penelope ran hard back to the station; she suddenly turned quickly to a small doctor station to have a quick examination on something. It was not good news. The young life in her had been killed when Bryony kicked her.

She went back to the train and took one that lead anywhere away from Orleans. It took her out to Charmount. She felt a little bit safer, but still wanted to go back home. It would now take a week to get back to Paris. Only a few hours before she arrived to Paris she had a long cry over her miscarriage.

It was raining, when she got off the train. She got off last so no one could see her red, teary, eyes.

The station was completely empty. She decided to walk home when she noticed two familiar skunks half asleep on a bench, soaking wet in thin coats.

"Pheffe! Pepe!" Penelope screamed in joy. She began running to them and the two of them were awakened and both looked around.

"Mommy!" Pheffe hollered. The father and daughter started running to her, but she was close enough.

Penelope was pulled into a tight hug by Pepe who kissed her hard. Apparently, a week was too much separation for both of them. Pheffe clung to her mommy's legs whining.

"Don't leave us _sil vous plait_!" she cried. "Daddy eez a terrible cook!"


	23. Birds, Bees, Babies, Species and Pheffe

I've been swamped up with other projects, so don't get mad! I'm not quitting on this story. I Promise. (You need me to spit shake or pinky swear on that?) :)

I do not own Pepe or Penelope. (As if we didn't know)

I do own Penelope's family and Pheffe.

_**Chapter Twenty-Three**_

_**Birds, Bees, Babies, Species and Pheffe. **_

A couple of days had passed and now Pheffe was being enrolled (against her will) into pre-school. With her out of the house and Pepe at a comic studio writing out storyboards Penelope felt lonesome and bored. By mid morning she was lying on the bed staring at the ceiling. She began dozing off recalling many memories about Pheffe as a baby and her three weeks with Pepe before their marriage.

The ring of the phone suddenly broke her out of her dreams and pulled her into reality. She hurried into the kitchen to answer it.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Madame Le Pew," it was the pre-school teacher Mademoiselle Beaumont. "Get down here immediately!!"

The phone was hung up. Penelope, feeling concerned that Pheffe was sick, hurried down.

When she arrived a young skunk in her early twenties ran towards her.

"Hurry up!" Mademoiselle Beaumont gasped. She pulled Penelope to the playground and Penelope saw that Pheffe was not sick at all.

She was pinning three young boys down the sand and yelling insults in French. Other children were circled around her and watching in horror.

Penelope got through the children and lifted Pheffe up in her arms. Pheffe kicked her legs hard and yelled out more French insults. The three boys got up and yelled something back at her and pointed to Penelope.

"I don't know how it started." Mademoiselle Beaumont lied. "One zhing Moi knows is that she's playing and zhen she's fighting and biting and she also said zhat-"

"You lie!" Pheffe screamed.

"I'll take her home now." Penelope said.

Pheffe said nothing on the way home. When she got home she went to her room. Penelope followed her in. Pheffe flopped on her bed and buried her face into the pillow.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Penelope asked gently.

Pheffe shook her head. The phone rang again and Penelope went to answer it. It was Mademoiselle Beaumont.

"What exactly happened?" Penelope asked.

"Like I said," Mademoiselle Beaumont answered. "I was going to say zhat she started telling where babies come from."

"From storks?" Penelope asked, thinking that's what Pheffe was saying.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Mademoiselle Beaumont said getting fussy. "She was saying zhat babies come from-zhe real zhing. You know; the truth."

"She didn't!" Penelope said in shock. "Where did she hear that?"

"How should I know?" Mademoiselle Beaumont snapped at her. "Ask her, zhan tell her she wrong and zhat zhey come from the Baby Express Mail Service." She hung up.

"Like she will really believe that." Penelope thought. Pheffe didn't believe in the Tooth Fairy, the Easter bunny or Father Christmas.

Penelope went back into Pheffe's room. Pheffe seemed to have heard the conversation, but might have chose to ignore it. Kind of.

"That was your teacher," Penelope said. She sat next to her daughter and waited for her to speak.

"Zhey were saying zhat- well, zhis one boy said zhat hees mama was going to have a baby." She began.

"Yes, and?" Penelope said after a pause.

"Well, I said zhat he were wrong. I said zhat babies come from mommies and daddies. Zhey didn't believe me, so I started telling zhem how eet all works. Teacher got mad, smacked me, put me een corner. Zhen-"

She suddenly began to cry. Penelope patted her on the shoulder to continue. Sobbing, she did.

"Zhey said zhat I was weird and zhat my family eez stoopead! Addlebrained."

"Addlebrained?" Penelope said in surprise. She never knew Pheffe had a high vocabulary.

"I say. Zhey said zhat I'm notheeng because-"

"You can tell me Sweetie," Penelope said encouragingly. "You can tell me or Daddy anything. Because why? How you smell? Your height? Too smart for them, those pre-schoolers?"

"Because my Mommy and Daddy are different species!!" Pheffe bolted up and yelled. She flopped back down and cried hard.

"What do you mean?" Penelope said demandingly.

"You're a pussycat. Daddy's a skunk. I'm an outcast."

"Not true." Penelope said sternly. "You are not an outcast Pheffe. Don't ever let that bring you down."

"Zheir parents are zhe species." Pheffe cried meekly.

"That's there problem." Penelope said matter -of- factly. "Now, about this where babies come from…you know where they really come from?"

"Eet's obviously accurate zhat babies don't come from beeg-beelled birds een packages or from vegetables." Pheffe said as if she was a little professor.

"Who told you?" Penelope asked.

"Daddy." Pheffe said in a matter of fact voice.

Penelope mouth went wide open.

"Oh no, he didn't" she said.

"Oui he deed." Pheffe said cheerfully.

Penelope felt disgusted and shocked. She would so talk to him tonight.

Later, that evening Pepe came home with a cramped hand from writing. Pheffe greeted him with a hug like always.

"How was pre-school Lettle Fleur?" he asked lifting her up in his arms.

"Bad. Terreeble, horreeble, no good, very bad." She answered. "You're een trouble with Mommy."

"What I do?" he asked.

"You'll see. Eet's a doozy." She said.

"Oh joy," Pepe sighed. He put Pheffe down and she skipped to her room humming "_Thank Heaven for Little Girls_."

Penelope suddenly came out of their bedroom with a frown that could've curdled new, fresh milk.

"You told Pheffe where babies really come from?" she asked.

"Oui, of course." Pepe said, not looking concerned at all.

"Why would you? What made you? How'd she take it?" Penelope blurted out.

"She asked randomly. She took eet fine." Pepe answered.

"Why couldn't you say that they come from the sky or even some Baby mail company incorporation?" Penelope asked.

"I didn't want to lie to her." Pepe said honestly. "I felt betrayed when I learned zhe truth and I felt I couldn't trust parents. I don't to feel like zhat with me or you. Besides, she didn't believe zhat Father Christmas at zhe mall was real. Anyway, eet's not reasonable to tell your cheeldren zhat zhey come from a vegetable garden like my parents told some three year old. I steel cannot believe I fell for eet."

Penelope calmed down. He did have a point. Pheffe trusted them both the most. She might have felt betrayed when she found out years later.

"I understand now," she said. They embraced and kissed affectionately.

_Authors Note:_ Heh, heh. Awkward huh? Just some funny idea that came to my head.


	24. What Happened in Orleans Stays in Secret

Hold on; it's about to get havoc and tearful.

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Penelope's family and poor Pheffe. (You'll see ;) )

_**Chapter Twenty-four**_

_**What Happened in Orleans stays in Secret **_

The next day Pheffe (who was still recovering from the day before) went to the comic studio with Pepe. Running errands was Penelope. She felt content about the fact that Pheffe could always tell her problems to her parents. It was different because she herself never had the confidence to tell her family her problems at that age. She actually felt better about the fact that her family would probably not bother her now. But she was wrong.

Just before she had gone about a mile from home she felt a feeling that made her quiver in fear. This was one of the moments she wished Pepe was there or she had a weapon to protect herself. Pepe would have thought the same if he knew what was about to happen.

She heard soft sounds of someone walking behind her. She walked a little faster. The someone walked faster too. She walked slow. The someone walked slow. Then…she ran for her life. Whoever was after her was faster and grabbed hold of her at the neck and pulled her down. Penelope looked to see who it was when she was on the ground. It was Guiliane. Guiliane suddenly slapped her hard causing her to pass out. She took out a burlap sack and put it over Penelope's head.

"Francine?" she whispered into her cell phone. "The "brat" is caught."

"Stench" and "foul" are caught too." Francine said aloud. She came around an alley corner and had Pepe and Pheffe knocked out and tight rope around their wrists. She was dragging them along as if they were limpest things ever.

"Where are the burlap sacks I gave you to use?" Guiliane snapped.

"I lost them." Francine said. "I threw knock out smoke bombs towards them and they collapsed."

"Must I do everything?" Guiliane complained. She took to extra sacks out from her back pocket and put them over the victims' heads.

"Now pull them along while I carry the "brat" home." she ordered. She lifted Penelope over her shoulder.

"Do I have too?" Francine whined. "The little one is too heavy with that chain belt."

"Yes." Guiliane mimicked. "You have too. Lift her up and drag him."

I don't wanna touch her." Francine whined again.

"Come on!" Guiliane ordered frustrated from the whine and complaint.

Whimpering with disgust Francine lifted Pheffe over her shoulders and tugged on the rope as hard as she would let herself.

Waiting for them about a few miles ahead was a little deuce coupe that belonged to Francine. Guiliane looked disgusted.

"You want and expect me to shove in these striped suitcases, you and even me in that little itty bitty old thing??!!" she nearly yelled.

Francine shrugged her shoulders.

Guiliane then spotted a blue sports car and gave orders.

_**Penelope's Side**_

It was later that evening that Penelope awoke in new and different surroundings from the farness of home. She was in a dark room on a concrete floor. Her hands were behind her back. Thankfully, her feline senses included being able to see in the dark. She could hardly tell that she was not near home until she heard the sound of doors clanging open and shutting.

The door to the room she was in opened and she saw a familiar figure. Bryony entering the room was decked out in a flashy black skinny strapped dress.

"Hello Penelope Peony," she said coldly and with a nasty flash of a grin.

"Mam?" Penelope said shocked. "Why- Where am-?"

"You are back in Orleans." Bryony said. "I brought you back to have a little chat. With you."

"Tell me," she continued. "Are you really happy in France?"

"Yes." Penelope answered straightly.

"Do answer well." Bryony replied cruelly. "Do you own a car?"

"No, I walk." Penelope said. "France is too beautiful to just drive by I like too stroll about and-"

"I do not need details!" Bryony replied harshly. "I expect so and very little of you. I hoped that you reconsidered your (ugh) marriage. If that is what it really is."

"It's true." Penelope said. "A marriage- a marriage doesn't need a big fancy wedding or the dress. The cake or champagne. It's who you love and that you're committing your life to that person. I did and I'll never regret it."

Bryony was silent for a moment. She went over to a wall and turned the light switch on. The room was at about 4x8 square feet. A chair was in the corner and a small window with a black blind over it. The walls were white brick. Bryony pulled the chair up and pulled Penelope to her feet and made her sit in it.

She paced about for a bit. Thinking deep she decided to ask a question.

"Do you love him?" she asked.

"Pepe? Of course." Was Penelope's answer.

"I'll leave now." Bryony said after a strange pause. She left and locked the door.

Penelope slipped out of the chair and lay on the cold floor. She shivered from the cold and wondered worryingly about Pheffe and Pepe.

Late the next morning she awoke to hearing the sound of walking up the hall. She heard Guiliane lecturing about something, but the wall all around blocked the words. She went back to sleep and dozed back into the day Pheffe was born which followed the awful dreams she had right before she and Pepe confessed their love.

The door opening awoke her. It was Leonardo with a tray with fresh eggs and toast.

"Hello Darling." He said gently. Penelope smiled seeing him. The happy moment was cut by Bryony who came in.

"Slept well?" she asked taunting.

"Not really. The floor's really cold." Penelope answered.

"I'd like to say that I met up with-" Bryony began, but cut off by her kind hearted husband.

"Why do you have those bonds on her?!" he asked in shock and noticing them for the first time. "She's not going anywhere. How can she?"

Bryony rolled her eyes. She took a grip on Penelope's wrists and pulled them off. Small forms of the bonds were imprinted on her wrists.

"I met with your husband?" Bryony continued.

"You met him?" Leonardo said excited. "Is he a nice chap?"

"We are not getting anywhere with you in the room and interrupting." Bryony snapped.

Leonardo left quietly.

"He was recovering from being knocked out and he looked so thin, I decided to give him a bit of dinner. A crust of baguette!! I forced him a little later to tell of his life with you. All and every detail of it."

"You forced him?" Penelope was scared now. "You hurt him?"

"No, scared him." Bryony answered. "He was horrified by what Guiliane had enough guts to do. He did put up a good fight until…"

"Oh why ruin it for her." Bryony said to herself.

"Enjoy your breakfast." She said to Penelope.

Penelope ate alone and frightened. She was alone for more days. The days passed into a week.

With nothing to do she shut her eyes and either slept or thought of good memories. One in particular of when she and Pepe were married for only two and a half weeks. Shortly, before she met the family.

_Penelope lay on the couch with her eyes half shut. She could hear Pepe searching through the cupboards for something that would cure her head ache. Sweetwater. _

"_Eet's my Mom's specialty." He said sitting next to her. "She makes medicines at times." _

_He tried pulling the cork of the small bottle. Stubbornly the cork stayed screwed on. _

"_Should I open it?" Penelope asked seeing him struggle. It might have ended up like on T.V were a female opens the jar instead. _

_Pepe rolled hid eyes in frustration and bit his teeth into the cork which pulled it off. He spat it on the coffee table. _

"_No. Mom just uses old corks instead and I can only open zhem with my teeth." He said. He damped a washcloth with the lavender scented water. Penelope sat up. The whole room seemed to flash around. Little did she or her lover know was that she was pregnant already. Pheffe was already beginning to grow even though she was hardly the size of a cashew. _

_The cold water was a small sudden pang of ice on her forehead. She grabbed hold of Pepe's arm that was doing the work and inhaled and exhaled. Pepe switched the cloth to his other hand and wiped down her forehead. He stuffed it into his jeans pocket and rested his head on her right shoulder, feeling sleep overcome him, almost. The sweet smell of lavender twitched his nose the way his daughter's would someday. He smiled playfully and sniffed Penelope's neck. He started breathing through his mouth which caused the hotness of his breath to make Penelope feel a pleasure run down her neck and back. _

"_Très__ Belle," he said. Penelope faced him and opened her mouth to say something when Pepe kissed her (open mouth.) She returned it and let her arms go around him and felt his embrace her around her waste. Penelope never wanted it to end when they kissed. It either seemed to short or she wanted it to keep on going. _

"_Every wife in France would be so envious of me right now." She thought happily. _

How long had it been? Four years. Already, they had a baby who was almost four years old.

When the next week had almost passed with regular visits from Bryony asking how she was Penelope heard crying in the hallways. It sounded like Francine. Penelope felt a slight concern for her sister, but then thought she for sure had been dumped by another suitor. She acted too giddy and that caused suitors to go nervous and annoyed.

Finally, one night before a storm broke out. Leonardo came in before she went to sleep.

"Come on." He whispered. He led Penelope out and up a dark hall to the familiar household she knew. She never knew there was a secret entrance to a hall with more than one room.

He led her to her old room. The bedroom and let her in. There were comfy thick comforters on top that welcomed her.

"I need you to see someone." he whispered. "Just get comfy."

Penelope could not find her pajamas from before. So she took of her black corduroy jacket that Pepe gave her recently for a birthday present. She slipped off her black keds shoes and folded her light pink shirt. She only had a bra and white thin tank underneath. Tired, slipped into bed and waited for Leonardo.

He stuck his head back in and quickly said.

"I can't stay much but I could not bear you two apart any longer."

He was gone, but instead almost shoved in was Pepe.

After nearly two weeks away from him, Penelope nearly cried.

She leaped out and collapsed in his arms as he held her tightly. She suddenly felt alarmed at the feeling of his arms because they felt thin. Not healthy thin like before. Sick think. Deadly sick thin. She could feel his ribs against her through his shirt and jacket.

"Were you even fed?" she asked letting go.

"Hardly," he answered. "I'll survive. You're my main concern and Pheffe."

"Where is she?" she asked.

Pepe looked nervous. "I was hoping you knew."

Penelope felt tears in her eyes. She flopped on the bed and began to cry hard.

Pepe looked despaired. Penelope crying for Pheffe and Pheffe maybe crying for them. It was as if a nightmare that no would ever want to endear had happened to them. Why?!

He fell next to Penelope and fought back his tears of compassion for his love.

He finally kicked off his converse sneakers off and put his jacket on the floor. He slipped under the covers and Penelope raised her head up to wipe her eyes. She slid under the covers as well and faced her mate.

"I missed you too much." She said.

"Same here." Pepe answered reassuringly with a smile.

They kissed, not passionately, but full of ardor and tenderness. Penelope felt Pepe's arms encircled her closely. She had one arm around his neck and the other at his waist. Trembling, she slipped her hand under his black shirt and felt his warm skin. It wandered to his hip and she felt the leather belt and jeans material. Her hand was finally content; part on the belt and the rest under the shirt, her thumb stroking his skin.

All those days she had been locked away she had been in a room that had smelled of concrete. Pepe smelled not like his usual self. The way she had once been terrified of and ran away from. Now, he smelled of something old and stale. Except at his neck. It smelled the same. She inhaled it and savored it. How precious it was now. She pressed her nose against him and took it all in. Pepe kissed her again and she kissed back. It felt like the old days. Their many first nights together or how they awoke in the mornings; in each others arms.

Sleep came over her eyes and she drifted off. It was so quiet and warm. No hard, concrete floors that was cold. Comforters, sheets and pillows. Now, if only they were at home. Pheffe would be just a room next door and at times she would crawl in with them. Only if she had nightmares. If only they were in France, not Orleans.

Without a care about where they were or what would happen the couple fell asleep in each others arms. But both of their minds hung close to Pheffe.

_Author's Note:_ _Whew! Wow! Was this chapter long or what. I'm very pleased. It took me two hours to write it down. It's also more romantic and intimate than my other past chapters. Let me know what you think. I promise Pheffe is okay. _


	25. In Bondage

I do now own Pepe or Penelope

I do now own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Penelope's family and Pheffe

_**Chapter Twenty-Five**_

_**In Bondage **_

While Penelope had been locked away Pepe had the same disappointment. He found himself awake on a cold concrete floor in a more terrifying room than Penelope's.

The walls had locks of chains and bar windows that were painted white-crème. Just barely the sun shone through. On the ceiling were lights like the kind in a schoolroom and a door made of iron.

Since he was 6'ft tall he tried looking out the window, but not a good sight was found. The door opened and Guiliane stepped in.

"Well," she said. "You are awake and up. Looking around huh?" She closed the door. She stood in front of him (if she was not in high heels she would have been 1 inch shorter than him.)

"Are you going to run and escape?" she asked.

"How can I and why should I?" Pepe asked, not afraid at all.

"You are right about cannot," Guiliane said with a wicked smirk. "Why should you? I am the heiress of an heiress. Most men I court are afraid of my sarcasm and the fear I cause them to get if they do not like me. I am Guila-"

"You're Guiliane Sabrina Pussycat," Pepe interrupted confidently. "Firstborn of Leonardo Cadmus and Bryony Tzila's twins; for zhe record, you're twin sister's name is Francine Tranquilla and you're younger sister by eight years just happens to be my fatale; Penelope Peony Le Pew."

"Yes. I suppose that brat told you everything." Guiliane said stiffly. "Penelope Peony huh?"

"Le Pew." he simply answered.

"Oh is that what her last name is?" Guiliane asked peculiar.

"Le duh! Wedding certificate says so," Pepe answered.

Guiliane stood for a moment thinking.

"I suppose you do not look at another woman with desire?" she asked.

"Why would I?" was the answer.

"Because that is what most men do."

"I'm not zhose "most men" I'm a happily married French skunk with a beautiful wife and sweet daughter."

"Besides, I would be terrified eef someone made zhe move on me." Pepe continued. He had a suspicion in his mind of what was going on right now.

Guiliane was about to speak again when Bryony opened the door. She gave him a nasty look and closed it again. Guiliane walked out shut it. Pepe slumped against the wall and waited for what would happen next.

It was near midnight when he felt a drowsiness overcome his eyes and his stomach softly growl for food. Bryony came in with a scowl.

"Here you are." she said sharply. She threw a crust of bread to his side.

Pepe felt his mouth water for more, but Bryony slammed the door in his face.

Only an hour later after eating, Pepe dozed into sleep. Shortly, the door opened again and it was Guiliane in a seductive red dress. Pepe just looked bored and started going back to sleep.

"Now look, I'll make a good suggestion for you," she said. "You kiss me which I am sure you do not want to do or you'll tell what goes on between you and Penelope."

"You're lying." Pepe said. "You wouldn't."

Guiliane was now getting impatient with him after that response. She finally kicked him hard in the shin. He flinched and did what he would have done; kicked her in the shin. She hopped for a few moments. Then she started pulling at his arm. He smacked her with his other arm and moved to another corner. Guiliane stood in front of him as if too block him.

Pepe was too quick. He dodged to one side and hurried to another corner. Guiliane stayed at him for a long while until he had dodged and she had chased him around the whole room.

Finally, Pepe was worn out and leaned against the wall to catch his breath. Guiliane stood in front and used her arms as a barricade around him. Her hands pressed against the wall and she leaned towards his mouth and churned with anger to her mother who told her to do this. She was just an millimeter away from his lips when he grew nervous.

"Alright!!" he yelled in terror. "What do you want?!"

"Spill out your life with Penelope…now!" Guiliane snapped.

Forced as he felt, Pepe told of the good life he had enjoyed with Penelope. Guilliane was quiet throughout and left deep in thought.

As if things were not bad enough later, it was. Pepe had no idea if it was his mind playing tricks on him or he was hearing things or whatnot, but he kept on thinking he heard the sound of yelling far down a hall and a small voice weeping. It was not comfort to think it was real, because he had a horrid feeling something was happening to Pheffe, because the small voice sounded like a child's.

It went on like that for a year it seemed, but it was only at least two weeks…of not being fed and feeling sick until Leonardo came and freed him.

"I can not be a part of this tyranny," he said.

"Where eez Pheffe at least?" Pepe asked.

"Hush!" Leonardo whispered. "You want to get caught? I will be honest I have no idea. Bryony will not say, but I have concernments that my only grandchild is locked away. I am sorry. Francine (my other daughter) seemed willing to tell, but she was afraid of Bryony. Francine had been acting strange sense Bryony asked her to do a job for her and I fear it was not a good thing."

Pepe felt despair. At least he would see Penelope, but Pheffe was not an adult, she was not even four years old yet. What if she was being abused? Starved? Or worse.

Later, drifting to sleep next to Penelope he listened again for the small voice, but strangely he heard nothing except Penelope's breathing and his stomach begging for food.

The worst was yet to come the next day.

_Author's Note: You've all been patient so I'll upload the last chapter tomorrow and a preview for the sequel. :) :) _


	26. Anger and New Feelings

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Penelope's family and Pheffe (she's in this chapter and next installment a lot.) :)

(Some stuff is violent and graphic.)

_**Chapter Twenty-Six**_

_**Anger and New Feelings**_

Her eyes opened and blinked a couple of times to wake up the rest of her. Penelope found herself on her side facing the nightstand and something holding on to her hand. She turned her head to see Pepe hanging on to her hand and deep in sleep. She laid her head back down and went back to sleep for a moment, but the door opened and Leonardo came in.

"Penelope," he whispered. "Your mother has asked for you and Pepe to come to the rail station this morning."

"Why?" she whispered back.

"She will not say," Leonardo said. "Hurry now, maybe she will have Pheffe with her and let you all go home."

How Penelope hoped that was true. Only half an hour later she found herself following her father with Pepe at her side heading to the train station near their home.

Bryony stood firm and vicious, like a captain of Nazis.

"Hello," she said unpleasantly. "Anything you want to say?"

"Oui," Pepe said not afraid of her at all. "Why deed you lock me away and Penelope up and where eez Pheffe?"

"Oh yes!" Bryony said. Francine came out from around a corner looking sad. "Guiliane Sabrina!"

Guiliane came around the corner looking guilty and for once not proud. Behind her barely strong enough to walk was Pheffe.

She had changed dramatically from a happy, healthy three ½ year old, to an anorexia-like, sick and bashed up abused child. Her little white face was sick and had bruises on it. One very bad looking one around her left eye. Gone was the lively look and sparkle of energetic sweetness in her eyes. Her arms were so bony that she seemed like a skeleton with no muscles or blood but bones underneath. Her black hair which fell across her face now was greasy tangled and had white specks (lice) about. Her lips were dry and chipped from lack of water. Her stomach growled so loudly that they could hear it. She looked nothing like before, but as if she had been in Bergen-Belsen.

Leonardo gasped aloud and nearly gagged in disgust. Francine turned her face. Pepe and Penelope were at lost for words. She looked nothing like their offspring. Bryony looked surprised.

"Guiliane Sabrina," she said coldly. Guiliane looked at her mother. "What is this I am seeing? She is not gone and you know what I mean by that."

"I could not do it." Guiliane screamed and broke down to the ground weeping. "Mam, I could not do it. I pulled out… the gun and- oh! She looked at me with her dear little eyes and asked what was I doing? I cannot kill an innocent child who has done no wrong to me. I deserve punishment for as long as I live."

"You and Francine Tranquilla both failed me for the first time in your lives and after all I have given you." Bryony spat in her face.

Francine ran into her father's arms and cried even harder and unable to catch her breath.

"I am not a murder!" she sobbed. "Papa! I wanted to die when she told me to- I am sorry!!"

"Calm down now," Leonardo said gently to her. "You did no wrong; you did the right thing of not doing it."

Bryony stood there over Pheffe who was on her knees shaking from hunger.

"Get back all of you," she ordered. "I have unfinished business." Her tone made everyone timid, but Pepe stood were he was curiously.

"Get back," Penelope urged. Pepe did not listen.

Bryony pulled out a small pistol and shook it at Pepe.

"You were going to get this only, now you will suffer more. Perhaps die of a broken heart after what you will witness!!"

She aimed to Pheffe and shoved Pepe who nearly grabbed it out of her hands. He fell and felt too weak to get up.

"Anyone moves I shoot!" Bryony snapped.

She aimed it again to Pheffe. And Pheffe-

Pheffe did not scream or cry or try to run, but stayed where she was and looked up. And she said in a small voice with a great, innocent courage;

"Why do you hate me?" she asked.

Now all looked at her in wonder. Bryony seemed taken aback. This simple child who did nothing wrong had just asked her a simple question. "Why do you hate me?"

Bryony quivered and suddenly through down the pistol in anger.

"Come on," she said. "Leonardo Cadmus, Guiliane Sabrina, Francine Tranquilla- Penelope Peony."

"Why me?" Penelope asked.

"If we cannot keep them gone we will take you," Bryony said.

Francine went first with Guiliane. They both looked apologetic to Pepe and Pheffe.

Leonardo hesitated, and then followed his daughters to the station and the three climbed into a boxcar full of suitcases meaning that they were leaving.

"I will let you say your good-byes." Bryony said. She walked off quietly seething with frustration.

Pepe crawled to his daughter who nearly blacked out. He lifted her up in his arms and she as if blind ran her hand over his face as if to know for sure it was him. When she knew she clung to his neck and shed tears of comfort and safety.

"They want me to go with them," Penelope said.

"You can't" Pepe said. "You belong een Paris with us."

Penelope knew that was true, but she felt a stronger desire to follow her parents and for once make her mother proud and acceptable to her.

"I could go for a while," she said.

Pepe looked confused. "Why?" he asked. "All she's done eez abuse you and me and nearly murder me and Pheffe. Look at your daughter Penelope; she's nearly dying thanks to her."

"Don't say that," Penelope said boldly.

"What's gotten een to you?" Pepe asked desperately.

"For once I can please her. I've wanted that more than anything my whole life." Penelope said.

Pepe looked hurt. "More zhan anytheeng?" he said. "Zhat's not true. You've said so yourself all zhat you wanted eez to be loved and I'm zhe only one who really gave eet to you and my family loves you as zhere own."

"That's different!" Penelope snapped sharply.

"No eet's not!" Pepe snapped back. "You care more for zhem than what you have now! Maybe you should leave!"

"I am!!" Penelope yelled fiercely at him.

"FINE!!" Pepe yelled back.

"FINE!!" Penelope yelled back. "And I will take Pheffe."

No you won't." Pepe said clutching Pheffe tighter now. "I won't have her among zhose child abusers.!"

Penelope grabbed Pheffe out of his arms and began to drag her. Pheffe aware of what had been happening screamed.

"Non!" she screamed. "No! No!"

"Shut up!" Penelope snapped and hit her hard till she fell down. "No more of that stupid accent or words. You will speak like me and not say anything about Paris or your other family members!"

Pheffe looked up at her teary eyed. Penelope was taken aback by a past dream;

_It was a black and white photograph instead of color like the rest. It was a little girl skunk of about four years old. She had dark eyes that looked sad and teary. She had long black hair that went around her face and dropped to her shoulders. She wore black clothes and had a necklace chain around her neck. The pendent was hidden under her shirt collar. _

It was now real. Bryony took Penelope by the arm and took her on the boxcar as the whistle blew.

Pepe took Pheffe back up in his arms. His usual bright, but relaxed eyes were fuming with hate and anger.

The train began to move as the boxcar door closed.

All Penelope saw last of Pheffe was her crying and her teary eyes glistening like a mist.


End file.
